Date Palms in the Australian Outback (Dalhousie Ruins)
adventure
One step at a time (The only way forward)
Often I’m awe-struck when I think about the journey I have embarked on to climb amongst the world’s highest mountains.
Sometimes it is so big that I just think about all the small steps I have taken so far.
The fun I’ve had… the fun and tears that are yet to come.
Yes, one step at a time Baz, it’s the only way forward…
Hey, by the way, thanks for joining me on this journey, I’ll need all the support I can get to help me climb to the summit…and back down again!
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You’re suffering from what? (Retrocalcaneal Bursitis)
For those of us who run, walk, jog, exercise on a regular basis the term achillies tendonitis is probably equally as familiar as the dog that always chases you half-way through your usual running route.
I suspect the achillies is blamed for most of the pain occurring in that region, but it can also be from other sources.
Over a period of time I have been suffering from Retrocalcaneal Bursitis.
Retro what, I hear you ask.
And just to be clear and to avoid any confusion, the condition and associated pain is in my heel, well below, um, my rear-end.
So what is this ailment, what causes it, and more importantly, what makes it go away?
My sports physician and I have been working on the last part of that answer for some time now. Bursitis is an inflammation of a little fluid sac found around most of the major joints in our body and it is designed to provide lubrication against friction where muscle and tendons are sliding over bones.
(photo credit A.D.A.M Inc)
Retrocalcaneal bursitis is the area specifically located around the ankle and heel area of the foot.
Causes for the condition can be varied, but for the most part it is an overuse type of injury that can be induced by walking, running, jogging, and can be accentuated by walking uphill.
For me, that is a tick on all counts. Jogging, tick, running, tick…
Women People wearing high heel shoes can often suffer from the condition.
Last year when I was training for the Coast to Coast Adventure race, a race from the West to East coast of New Zealand ,the condition came and went and was usually treated with plenty of stretching and some anti-inflammatory medication. However, the condition has worsened over the past few months, corresponding to an increase in my mountaineering endeavours, which involves plenty of uphill walking on steep inclines.
A recent x-ray confirmed that a small bone spur is triggering my condition.
And now that we know precisely what we are dealing with remedial treatment has commenced. My sports physician has elected to use Platelet Rich Plasma injections, or PRP as it is referred to as. This is a relatively new technology that involves taking a sample of your own blood, in the same way you would normally do so if having a blood test, and this is placed in a centrifuge to extract the plasma which is then injected into the injured area.
The science behind the treatment is that the platelets contain growth factors which stimulate an inflammatory and healing process.
Okay, I’m sure it is far more technical than that, but crikey, the last time I played doctors and nurses it was with the Kelly girls when I was 10 years old, and it was nothing as complex as PRP treatments.
But I’m digressing…
I had one PRP treatment about two weeks ago, along with a cortisone injection and I will be having a follow up injection in a week’s time to assist the healing process.
And whilst the treatment does not correct the bone spur at this time, it will help strengthen and thicken the achillies tendon and help protect against the aggravation, well that is what we are hoping for as surgery usually takes quite some time to recover from, but may be necessary eventually.
So another couple of weeks of rest away from the normal exercise routine, but I’m chomping at the bit and need to get extremely fit for the climbing expedition to Nepal later this year.
Strewth, can’t wait for that…
And remember, if all else fails, just remain out of control and take a big leap of faith!
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Cooper Creek, Outback Australia (An oasis in a barren land)
The Cooper Creek winds its way through the Australian Outback after the rains from Northern Australia swell the creeks and river systems and move slowly down into the wonderful area they call the “Channel Country” providing a haven for water birds and bringing life to the surrounding country…
TomO, Janet and I travelled in our inflatable boat to this remote spot, sat back and enjoyed the solitude that the Australian Outback brings, and not another soul in sight…!
And lucky for us, Janet rustled up one of those great dampers of hers in the camp oven for us to devour, how good is that…
photo: Baz, The Landy
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Lost in Paradise – Yasawa Island, South Pacific
If I ever get lost in the mountains please send a St Bernard to rescue me…
But if I ever manage to get lost here, could you just send another cocktail, one’s never enough as the sun sets over the South Pacific!
Ps: Don’t bother rescuing me!
photo: Baz, The Landy
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One problem at a time Sarge (One problem at a time)
The other day I was caught up in what seemed to be a never-ending stream of problems, you know the sort of day.
Nothing was going right, everyone and everything was conspiring against me. One problem after another, mounting, crushing, the world on my shoulders, leaving me pleading why was this happening to me?
In reality the world wasn’t going to come to an end, the sun had risen in the east, and in all likelihood it was going to set in the west, and a few deep breathes would probably have dispatched the garbage that was mostly going on inside my head to the trash…
But it did get me thinking why do we allow seemingly insignificant problems to morph into something that requires the Fantastic Four to resolve?
Human nature was my guess.
And then I recalled a quote by Frank MacAlyster, a member of the US Military’s elite Delta Force. Frank was involved in an operation to help free US hostages being held inside the US Embassy in Tehran, Iran, in the early 1980s.
The story is recounted in the book ‘Inside Delta Force’, by Eric Hany.
As the doomed rescue attempt unfolded Frank was sound asleep in a US C-130 Hercules aircraft that was parked on the ground inside Iran.
He awoke to intense flames licking all around him, the aircraft was on fire.
Frank thought the aircraft was airborne, but the intensity of the fire left him no choice, he jumped from the plane without a parachute and went into a skydivers arch.
Of course he fell for only a fraction of a second before hitting the ground.
Frank had assessed his options and jumped. It must have taken a lot of courage. Death was almost a certainty, but he was buying time at least.
I reflected on this and thought that even under intense pressure Frank was still thinking through his problems and wasn’t letting the situation clutter his thinking, and by this time there were any number of problems to deal with. Of course the first was to survive.
What could I learn from that?
How could Frank’s experience help me as I pursue my goal of high altitude climbing, and how might it help others to deal with their own ‘burning aircraft’?
When asked a few days later by his Superior what he was going to do once he was out of the plane without a parachute, Frank replied…
“One problem at a time Sarge, one problem at a time.”
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Strewth, now that’s a woolshed! (Cordillo Downs)
One of my passions is travelling the Australian Outback, the rich red soil kissing a vast blue sky in the far off distance, in the never-never…
Rest assured the never-never is a real place and the term was often used to describe the vast uninhabited inland region of Australian. But in reality, Australia’s first people, Australian Aboriginals, inhabited much of this vast land, the never-never…
The term never-never has appeared in many poems, writings, there is even a novel, “We of the Never-Never”, authored by Aenas Gunn. The book is really an autobiographical account of her time on Elsey Cattle Station in Australia’s Northern Territory.
I’ve visited Cordillo Downs many times over the years and it is truly big-sky country out there. Standing in its shadows I try and picture in my mind’s eye the people who worked here, how they arrived, where they went.
For you see, Cordillo Downs is in the middle of no-where and there is something very appealing about that.
And you’ll be hard pressed to find a tree in the “gibber country”.
Stores were transported from a town approximately 600 kilometres to the south by Afghan Camel Trains and workers frequently rode bicycles across an arid desert landscape to seek work in the shearing shed.
Hey TomO, there’s an adventure for us, riding our mountain bikes up the Strezlecki Track to Cordillo Downs…
Outback Australia, truly full of surprises and if you aren’t carried away by the magnificent landscape, you’ll be carried away by the flies, that’s for sure!
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Click go the shears’ boys…click,click,click (The Woolshed)
Taken as the sun was dawning on a new day in the outback, the woolshed is located within Currawinya National Park, near Hungerford, in far western Queensland.
Nearby is the beautiful Ourimperee Water-Hole…
Click go the shears’ boys, click, click, click….
photo: Baz, The Landy
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Most People I Know Think that I’m Crazy (The evils of smoking)
There is nothing better than hearing one of your favourite songs played on the radio, even better when it is a long time favourite and one that you hadn’t heard in ages, unearthed to tickle the airwaves once more.
Music has the ability to move your emotions. It can motivate you, it can take you places, it can make you laugh, or even cry, it can sometimes rejoin you with distant memories…
The other day TomO and I were out driving and one such song came on the radio, Most People I Know (Think That I’m Crazy), by Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, a great Aussie rock-band.
Initially formed in the 1960s, the band parted ways, but reformed again in 1971. It was during this second coming that I was growing up in Townsville, North Queensland, heading into puberty at the rate of knots and just as this song was released.
Geez, those days were free and easy. You could head off on your bike with your mates in the morning, but with strict instructions to be back for dinner.
In reality we were usually back by lunchtime.
Food was required on a regular basis with all that testosterone sloshing around!
But I’m digressing from the story, testosterone and girls is for another time, much later…
Anyway, TomO says…
“So Dad, you like this song, hey?
“It’s fitting ‘cause Mum and me think you are just a little bit crazy, that’s for sure.”
I reminded him that he was a chip off the old-block and he might just be a little crazy as well…
“Sure, it is one of my all time favourites” I said, “it takes me back to a time when I was around your age, maybe a touch older.”
“Were you going through puberty”, he asked?
Adding...
“Things are a happening down there, Dad.”
Geez, I wasn’t long out of Sesame Street at his age and I was still struggling with the alphabet…
But moving along…the song now in full swing, I said,
“Yeah, sure mate, I love that song, but it makes me feel sick!”
“How could it make you feel sick if you like it?”
A fair question I thought as I gave myself a mental smack around the chops…
“See, Dad you are crazy.”
“How could you love a song and say that it makes you sick at the same time.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
Realising I had just aroused an interest that would have him hunting down an answer like a pit bull terrier nipping at your heels I now had to share a story that had been holed up inside that (little) brain of mine, never shared with anyone before that moment…
If I was Homer Simpson, I’d be slapping my forehead and saying, Doh!
The song had finished and I vowed to find a quiet moment up in The Shed later in the day when I could crank it back up on my iPod.
Yep, he was nipping away, so I thought this is a good opportunity to reinforce the evils of smoking.
I’m not sure I should be putting this in the adventure category, I’ll let you be the judge, but it was an adventure of sorts at the time.
I’d heard some mates talking about how they had tried smoking, but I was shying away from these discussions as I was too scared to give it a go and besides I wanted to avoid the peer pressure thing.
In reality, I did want to give it a go, but didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of my mates, I mean what if I threw up, or coughed, or whatever, I’d be the laughing stock of class 6E and maybe even risk being dropped from the footy team.
It was about mid-semester when that fateful day arrived, I just didn’t recognise it when I got out of bed that morning and headed to school, after all it was the same as any other day, at least I thought it was.
On the way home I passed Leong’s corner shop. You’ll know the place, full of lollies, ice-creams, chips, stuff I didn’t usually have any money to spend on, but still I passed by most days.
I was hanging around outside on my bike, not sure what I was actually waiting for as I was still a couple of years away from taking a more active interest in the girls that hung out there.
And no I wasn’t looking at boys either, just on the off chance you’re wondering!
I see this bloke pull up in a flash car, well I thought it was flash anyway, a new Holden Kingswood sedan. As he gets out he toss’s a half-finished cigarette onto the ground.
The next couple of moments were a blur really, certainly impulsive, and isn’t that the story of my life.
I swooped on that smouldering cigarette, or durrie, as the older boys called them, with all the zest of two seagulls fighting over a lone chip, discarded uncaringly on a beach side promenade.
Quickly extinguishing it, I hid it in my pocket and was back on my bike.
Maybe that is where my athletic prowess, if I can call it that, started as I peddled faster and harder than I had ever done before, and probably ever since.
I swore the whole world witnessed this event and the police would be on to me before I got home, sirens blaring, handcuffed and dragged before my parents. Oh my gawd, the risk I was taking of being caught with this solitary piece of contraband.
Luck was seemingly on my side, I got home, there was still Mum to navigate past as I headed for the kitchen cupboard that stored the matches.
Would she miss a box?
The mind was racing, but I needn’t have worried. I should have been in the military, the task was completed with precision, I had the matches and the cigarette, there was an air of subterfuge about the whole thing, a tinge of excitement…
By now I was feeling like a fugitive running from the law as I headed down to the old sawmill a couple of kilometres from home. In hindsight, I’m not sure why I didn’t do it the time old-fashioned way and light the bloody thing up behind the shed.
Anyway, I scaled an old sawdust pile and slid down the other side, careful to remain well out of sight.
Fumbling, I took that used cigarette, yep the one covered in someone else’s spit and saliva, probably contaminated with all kinds of germs and put it in my mouth.
For crying out loud, this thing had been between the lips of someone I didn’t know.
But it was far too late to contemplate now as the flame of the match was licking at my fingers like an out-of-control bush fire…
This was supposed to be a pleasant experience, or so they say. I tried to be sophisticated about it…
Sophisticated,
Hell, who was I kidding? I was covered in sawdust, sucking on a discarded fag, strewth what was I thinking…
As things stood I still wasn’t willing to kiss Debbie Kelly, our next door neighbour, despite her numerous advances for fear of catching girl germs. But I had someone’s used fag, durrie, whatever you want to call the damned thing between my lips…
I grew up with the Kelly girls and their father was a dentist, so surely they wouldn’t have too many girl germs swilling around in their saliva.
Okay, so let’s just put it out there…
It was gross, yep, let me say it again, gross, but seemingly he was ‘clean’ as I’m still around to tell the yarn…
But strewth, give me a break, I might have been all of thirteen, thinking I was going on twenty-one or something. I couldn’t even afford a packet of lollies from Leong’s store, let alone a packet of durries.
I coughed my way through that cigarette.
At one stage I was thinking that snogging Debbie Kelly couldn’t possibly be this bad, but as they say, the rest is history.
I got on my bike and headed towards home, I wasn’t feeling one way or the other on this smoking thing, I was indifferent at best, and maybe now I had gotten this out the way I could take Debbie Kelly up on her offer of a snog, just for comparison.
Crikey, about half-way home it hit me, my head started spinning and I felt the whole world was about to end.
I felt sick, man, I mean really sick.
I made it home and headed for the shower, I’m sure Mum was wondering how I came to be covered in sawdust, but she didn’t ask. Perhaps she thought I was stealing a kiss from Debbie Kelly down at the old sawmill?
If only that had been the case, maybe I would have a cheeky smile on my face each time I heard Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs belt out that song.
TomO listened on intently.
I did notice a bit of a wry smile coming out the corner of his mouth, I thought perhaps he was weighing up what he would have done, a snog or the cigarette…
You see as I lay back on my bed, my head spinning faster than an out of control merry-go-round, Billy and the Boys were belting out that classic on the radio, and I felt so sick, so very sick…
But crikey… I still love that song!
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Talk about Cute (Characters you meet – Out and About)
Geez, how cute is this little bloke?
It is affectionately known as the Ta-Ta Lizard due to its peculiar habit of waving its front leg before running away, oddly enough almost in an upright position. The waving is possibly due to standing on hot surfaces, as they do reside in the northern and hotter parts of Australia.
Its actual name is the Gilbert’s Dragon, Amphibolurus Gilbert.
But that’s a bit like calling Baz – The Landy, Barry Thomas O’Malley, so let’s just stick with Ta-Ta Lizard…
And checkout the size of its tail and back feet!
We took this photograph whilst Out and About in one of our favourite outback places, Lawn Hill Gorge, a spectacular oasis in a barren land…
And okay, I get it, not everyone likes reptiles, and we’ve got plenty of them over here, many that are best avoided, but crikey, he is cute, don’t you think so?
photos by: Baz, Janet, and TomO
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What’s in a name? (Drop in for a yarn and I’ll tell you)
Hey Baz…what’s with this “Baz, The Landy” thing?
Didn’t your parents like you or something?
It is a question I field every so often…
And yes my parents do like me and in fact my mother, Fay, was only saying the other day…
“Be careful out there Baz, you know I worry”.
Mind you she said that as I was heading to work!
Heaven forbid, if she knew what I got up to when I’m not at work…
But what’s in a name I hear you ask…
Go and grab a cuppa and make yourself comfy on the sofa…
…Crikey, that was quick, you still drinking that instant stuff?
Anyway, you see Australia is a diverse country, the driest continent on the planet in fact, but despite this the colour of the outback is spectacular. An endless blue sky kissing the dry, cracked, red earth of the outback in the far off distance…
From the Channel Country, a vast expanse of the Queensland Outback, an area that has spawned more yarns and tall stories than a Friday night at the pub.
A place where the country unfolds to the horizon, featureless apart from the Mitchell Grass that stretches as far as the eye can see, swaying in a light afternoon breeze, mesmerising the senses as you squint to see through the heat haze.
To the deserts of the central region, the Simpson Desert, where the sand dunes cut their way across the salt pans, never ending until you reach a famous oasis on the desert’s fringe, Birdsville and the Birdsville Pub.
And what about up north, strewth, it has got to be some of the best country in the world, a place we call the Gulf Savannah, a place that is thick with red bull dust until the summer monsoon floods the land, quenching the parched earth, breathing life into the flora and fauna that inhabits the region.
Did I ever tell you about Lawn Hill Gorge?
If you never visit anywhere else in our neck of the woods then be sure you make your way up there. We visit as often as we can, there is something refreshing about being up in The Gulf, a place that rejuvenates your soul.
Take a refreshing swim in the spring-fed gorge and don’t worry about the freshies. You know, the fresh water crocodiles, they’re mostly harmless, not like their saltwater cousins, you’ll be right if you leave ‘em alone.
And its worth knowing that just to the south of the gorge is the World Heritage listed Fossil Mammal site, Riversleigh. It is one of the most significant fossil mammal deposits in the world and the richest known in Australia.
I must say, there were a few old fossils running around the gorge last time I was up there, and TomO, the cheeky little fella, reckons one of them was his Dad…
Anyway, I was telling you about how I got the name “Baz, The Landy”.
Well you see, travelling around this great country of ours is all good and well, but to get into some of these remote areas you need a vehicle that can take the pounding that the corrugations on the outback roads can dish out.
If you can call them roads, sometimes there isn’t one.
A vehicle capable of taking all the gear and toys you need to play in the outback.
Our choice of vehicle is the trusty Landrover Defender. They get called many things, a ‘Fender, the truck, some will even say a box of trouble on wheels.
In fact we’ve got two of them and they go by the names of “The Landy” and “Red Rover”...
We designed “The Landy” with long-range remote area travel in mind when we rebuilt it in 2006. It was a stock standard Landrover Defender 130 until we set to work on it.
Equipped with long-range fuel tanks it can travel up to 1,800 kilometres without being refuelled. That’s a long way I hear you say, but mate, let me tell you, the outback is a long way from nowhere.
It carries an inflatable boat and outboard motor for travelling on our inland waterways, and it even has a long-range radio that could put you in contact with someone on the other side of Australia, if you wanted to…
Hey, check out the roof, its got a roof top tent that we can take, if we don’t want to tow our T-Van camper trailer.
I always promised Janet a penthouse to live in…
And it’s even got a fridge to keep Janet’s wine cool store perishables.
I could rave on about it for ages, but I think you’ve got the picture by now and it has served us extremely well and will continue to do so whenever we venture west of the Black Stump.
“Red Rover” is my stock standard Defender 110 that I rebuilt a few years back and serves as my commute vehicle. It looks splendid in fire engine red and I proudly park it at work, down amongst all the Mercs and Beamers in the car park.
Yep, it makes the trip across the Sydney Harbour Bridge each day and I even gave it a bit of a wrap in my blog some time back, Red Rover – Tale of a Landy Make-over.
But don’t go thinking it is some show pony, far from it, it gets Out and About frequently, and I can’t keep Janet out of it…
Crikey, you’ll be thinking I’ve got a few ‘roos loose in the top paddock.
Wasn’t I telling you about how the name “Baz, The Landy” came about?
Well, every four-wheel drive vehicle I’ve ever owned has been a Landrover Defender, so it seems inevitable that someone was going to end up calling me Baz, The Landy.
I guess!
Besides, how would it be if I was called “Baz – The Red Rover” – strewth, you might go thinking I was out of some kids fairy tale book, or worse…
But getting back to our island continent, Australia, it isn’t hard to ramble on a bit about how fantastic this country is, you know, the one hidden in the summer for a million years, so why don’t I just leave you with this video that our tourism gurus’ put together to the music of one of our greatest musicians, Iva Davies and Icehouse…
And hey, if you’re ever out here visiting make sure you give “The Landy” a wave if you see it go past, we’re a friendly bunch and I’ll even stop and have a yarn with ya!
photos by Baz, Janet, and TomO
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Blooming Fantastic (Wildflowers in the Outback)
Recently I’ve been sharing some of the photographs we have taken whilst travelling this fantastic country of ours, Australia.
Whether it is a climber’s perspective of the mountains that I frequently get to view, or perhaps some of the dunes in that part of the country we call The Outback, Australia is a contrast of spectacular colour amongst what is often a harsh and barren land…
But there is a delicate beauty to be found, everywhere, you just need to look.
Janet will spend countless hours searching for, observing, and photographing our wonderful wildflowers, of which there are countless numbers, she never tires of it, saying just one more, another five minutes and I’ll be finished…
Yes, Janet, she does stand out like a beautiful wild flower, in full bloom!
Photos: Baz, Janet & TomO
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Mayne Hotel Ruins – Australian Outback (The Cellar)
With no fridges novel ways had to be found to keep the beer cold!
Outback Australia, it will give you a thirst!
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Climbing Mt Everest (Drinking Ovaltine all the way)
Looking back at old photographs is like opening a time capsule, you just never know what you are going to find and usually there are one or two little gems to bring a smile to your face.
I was at Janet’s parents home recently, Clare and Archie who are 83 and 98 years of age, and over a cup of tea we were flicking through books of old photographs.
The themes varied from trips overseas, the children growing up, and of Archie’s childhood in India.
You could pick any photograph and Archie would narrate a rich account of when it was taken, and the story behind those who were in it.
And there were photographs of Clare’s childhood days, growing up in far western Queensland on the family’s sheep property and of her days at boarding school in Charters Towers, far North Queensland.
The conversation turned to our upcoming adventures and my journey to climb Cho Oyu, an 8,000 metre peak, which is close to where Archie grew up, and if all goes well, Mt Everest.
Over the years I have listened to the many stories of Archie’s trips to Darjeeling, situated in the foothills of the Himalaya’s and in later years of visits both he and Clare made back to Calcutta.
One story that always brings a good laugh is about a mountaineering expedition group who turned up at the offices of James Wright and Company, General Merchants, the family business in Calcutta. The suave and handsome couple heading the expedition were in a rather irate mood as they stepped out of the taxi, demanding to know why they had not been met at the ship upon their arrival.
Being general merchants, Archie and his father dealt in all kind of goods, and were the agent’s in India for the popular drink Ovaltine.
“These mountaineers were here to climb Mt Everest and they were going to drink Ovaltine all the way to the top, extolling its virtues to the world.”
It had all been arranged in England prior to their departure and there was surprise and indignation that they had not been afforded the courtesies expected upon their arrival. They even had a copy of the telegram from the Head of the company that made Ovaltine in England informing of their visit.
This was a gentlemanly age and young Archie arranged for the expedition to be put up at a first class hotel where they could rest after their long sea voyage and ahead of their attempt to climb Mt Everest.
And rest and avail themselves they did indeed…
Of course, there was to be no attempt on Mt Everest as the mountaineers were well practiced con people. After spending a number of nights in the luxury of the first class hotel, taking advantage of the young Fawthrop’s generous hospitality, they disappeared into the night, leaving Archie with an expensive hotel bill and the need to provide an account to his father of how he had been done by a slick group of con artists’.
But he could be forgiven, after all Ovaltine accompanied Sir Edmund Hilary on his ascent of Mt Everest with Tenzing Norgay in 1953 and the company went on to sponsor Chris Bonnington’s 1975 Everest expedition.
And speaking of Tenzing Norgay, as we continued our journey through the albums one particular photograph caught my attention, a black and white snapshot of Clare and Archie, with Tenzing Norgay standing beside them.
On a visit to Darjeeling, Archie and Clare met and spoke with Tenzing, a remarkable and quietly spoken man they said, whilst dining at the Darjeeling Club.
TomO was very excited at the discovery, a link to where we will travel this year when I attempt to climb three 6,000 metre peaks, Lobuche East, Island Peak, and Pokalde, all situated not too far from Mt Everest.
Was the Ovaltine story and the photograph a sign-post on our own journey, I thought.
A connection to the region brought about from Archie’s younger days? In the least, it will enrich the experience for us…
And as I climb in the Himalaya’s Archie’s Ovaltine story will be sure to put a smile on my face, warming me like a hot cup of Ovaltine on a bleak winter’s night…
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Pre-dawn Fun (Out and About, Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Wow, what a great morning down on the lake, on the water before the dawn and watching the sun rise was awesome!
How good are Saturday mornings!
Anyway, the sun is up now, so jump in and I’ll take you for a paddle around the lake…
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Sunrise over Currawinya National Park (Outback Australia)
Sunrise at Ourimperee Waterhole, Currawinya National Park, Outback Australia…
A beautiful part of the Australian Outback, not to be missed!
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The Shed – Font of all knowledge (And some tall stories)
Phew…“The Shed” hasn’t changed whilst I was away climbing in New Zealand.
It is still that grand old place where tall stories can be told, a few laughs had, a place where you can grab a coldie out of the fridge to share with mates, and importantly, it is my morning training hangout.
These past few days I’ve headed up the driveway in the pre-dawn darkness, a time of the day I actually enjoy immensely, to exercise on my C2 Concept Rower, and to lift a few weights.
Over the coming months my exercise regime in The Shed will revolve around high intensity cardio and building muscular endurance in preparation for my expedition to Nepal at the end of the year. Of course, there will be plenty of hill climbing with a 20 kilogram backpack, and I could never go without getting in a paddle on the lake at least once a week.
I’m always happy to be out hiking in the Australian Bush…and kayaking on our magnificent ocean beaches and inland waterways!
I will also be focussing on improving muscular flexibility through yoga practice. Bikram is my preferred yoga and I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with it over the coming weeks.
Another focus of mine will be agility, something we seem to have in younger days and lose over time. Whilst I’m not too bad, my trip to New Zealand highlighted that I would benefit from undertaking some specific training, like balance beam walking with a back-pack…
And of course there’ll be plenty of rock-climbing up in the Blue Mountains to hone my rope handling skills and efficiency.
Something that I will be revelling in!
And my partner in crime, brother-in-law, Ray Tong, and I are scheduled to line up for another start in Tough Mudder in early April, and he is well advanced in his preparation, so I have some catching up to do!
We are looking to improve our time from last September’s Tough Mudder event.
Mind you, I’m currently suffering from a long term achillies tendon injury which has flared once again.
My sports doctor is treating it with Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP as it is usually referred to. It involves drawing my own blood and extracting the PRP which is then injected back into my achillies tendon to assist recovery. The process can be done in the surgery and takes around 15-30 minutes. To date, I have had one injection and another is scheduled for next week.
I’m also undergoing a very specific stretching regime to assist in the recovery.
Fingers crossed, as failing this it will require some surgery to correct.
But I’m confident all will be well within the next few weeks and I can’t wait to be back out in the mountains hiking and climbing.
All up, life is pretty good, wouldn’t be dead for quids…
And remember, if all else fails, remain out of control and see what happens, or just take a leap of faith!
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Jungle Life – Papua New Guinea (Alola Village)
Alola village, remotely located deep in the steamy jungle of Papua New Guinea.
The only way in is to walk for a couple of days…
Janet and I lived in Papua New Guinea for three years, working and exploring…
A wonderful country, full of wonderful people and teeming with spectacular wildlife.
No ordinary moments, no ordinary people, no ordinary lives!
photo: Baz
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The Bread-Knife, Warrumbungles, Australia
This is a wonderful place to visit, to sit and just listen to the sounds of the Australian bush…
Where the wildlife abounds and the flora is spectacular. We took this photograph in the Warrumbungles on one of our trips…
The Australian Bush, it speaks for itself…
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Out and About on the Lake (Talk about having fun)
It has been quite a week “Down under”.
TomO was settling into his second week at high school, I was getting back into the swing of things at work and Janet was working on upcoming school functions and of course, looking after “her boys”…
So when the weekend hit it was time to unwind and relax and we kicked it off with TomO’s first game of basketball, and after only two training sessions he was playing like a pro, well almost…
And with blue skies and perfect weather we headed to Narrabeen Lake on both Saturday and Sunday as it is our favoured weekend haunt when we are not in the mountains…
And what a day down on the lake, it was literally a sea of colour with plenty of paddle boards, kayaks, and with the wind getting up later, the wind surfers, and the delightful Heron Class sailboats that race most Sunday’s.
It was great to get reacquainted with my Epic Kayak, TomO was back on his stand up paddleboard, and Janet was catching up on all the gossip with friends who joined us.
Life… you’ve got to love it, truly, no ordinary moments, no ordinary people, no ordinary moments, ever!
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The Australian Dingo (In the outback)
The Australian Dingo, at home in the Australian Outback…
We took this photograph in the Channel Country, far Western Queensland.
You’ve just got to love the landscape, the flora and fauna, that makes the Australian Outback what it is!
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Don’t use the “F” word – Failure is Success (If we learn from it)
January was such a whirlwind of fun, mountaineering in the Southern Alps of one of the best countries in the world, New Zealand.
Of course, it wasn’t all mountaineering and there was plenty of family time doing some crazy things together.
Now I do have this rather audacious plan to climb some of the world’s highest mountains, heaven forbid, Mt Everest does beckon, but of course even contemplating that is some time off just at the moment.
My next major expedition will be to Nepal in November of this year. It sounds so far away doesn’t it?
I have much preparation to do ahead of it and I suspect time will fly past very quickly. I need to increase my fitness with plenty of long-distance pack walking, as well as hone my climbing and rope handling skills; after all as they say practice makes us perfect.
And of course, climbing to altitudes in excess of 6,000 metres will require some new equipment, so plenty of gear reviews and shopping lie in the months ahead.
Shoosh, I might just not let on to Janet about that just yet!
But anyway, I’m starting to rabbit on a bit now, so I’ll get to my point…
Many people have asked about how the trip went and did I get to the summit of Mt Aspiring.
Unfortunately the answer was no. The weather conspired against us about halfway up and we decided to turn back, to continue on would have been dangerous…
But none-the-less, it was a successful climb.
It would be easy to think of it as a failure…but I had a great smile on my face!
Failure is a word I’ve never been comfortable with and I’m sure it doesn’t sit well with many others. But for many, not achieving a goal you’ve set out to achieve often leads to despair, feelings of not succeeding – of failure.
It can be deflating…
For me, not getting to the summit of Mt Aspiring was not a failure; in fact I found it a great learning experience. Turning back involved taking account of many factors; of course the most important was weather, which was pretty much a no-brainer as the wind was raging in excess of 100 kilometres per hour over the summit.
Assessing the situation, making the correct decision at the appropriate time, and of course acting on it was an important lesson in “human factors” especially as we stood on the mountain, exposed to the elements; to the increasing wind and sleet…
All too often it has been found that people have identified that a new course of action needs to be taken and whilst they’ve understood what it was they needed to do they’ve failed to implement the new plan until it was too late.
The experience highlighted the importance of being efficient and proficient whilst remaining safe, especially at a time when external factors were having an adverse affect on the undertaking.
A very important lesson, especially given my rather audacious plan of climbing high mountains!
So should we get rid of “failure” from our vocabulary?
No, I think it has a place.
After all, Janet did highlight to me the other day that I had failed to take out the garbage, and for sure it could count as a learning experience, but failure summed it up perfectly…
The garbage truck had just passed our home and wouldn’t be back for another week and those words “you failed a very simple task” are still ringing in my ears…
So next time you haven’t achieved your goal will you use the “F word?”
I know you won’t… Just think of it has a learning experience on your way to success…
But mind you, if all else does fail, just feel free to remain out of control and see what develops…
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Jet-Boating on the Matukituki – Awesome Fun (Jump Aboard)
Whilst we were holidaying and climbing in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, we took time to skim across the Matukituki River with Wanaka River Journeys.
It was a great trip and as well as journeying the river we took a walk through a fantastic Beech Tree Forest and marveled at the many waterfalls and cold mountain streams.
Anyway, grab a life-vest and jump aboard…if you’re game!
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Dropping into the office (sure beats taking the lift)
Speaking about returning to work after my sojurn in New Zealand, there is no truth in the rumour that I abseil in each day.
But it would be fun!
Janet and I abseiled off the AMP Building in Sydney’s Central Business District to raise money and aid in the awareness of the Sir David Martin Foundation, an organisation committed to helping young people in crisis.
A very worthwhile cause…
And yes, Janet beat me to the bottom, who said she wasn’t competitive!
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Cabin Fever High on the Mountain – Shelter from the storm
It is often said that too much of a good thing, is not such a good thing.
And after three weeks in the spectacular South Island of New Zealand, mountaineering, climbing, jet-boating, taking to the skies in a Tiger Moth, and leaping 100 metres into a canyon screaming at the top of my lungs, seemingly a good thing came to an abrupt end this week.
It was back to work…
Yes I do work, although my colleagues have often said, with a wink, that at times there is too much day dreaming going on and not enough work.
But putting that aside…
My usual daily routine starts around 4am each day up in the shed with a row, a weight session, or perhaps even a bit of both. Other days it is a walk with a 25 or 30-kilogram backpack for company.
But I must say it was a little tough getting motivated these past few days, not so much because of the early start, after all, I had a few alpine starts these past three weeks where you rise around 3am in the morning to ready for a day of climbing.
Initially I put it down to a change in routine, let’s face it, it is pretty easy to get out of bed for a day of climbing in the spectacular Southern Alps; the walk to the shed just didn’t cut it.
Maybe it was cabin fever I thought, after all “the shed” is about the size of some of the alpine huts.
Now let me say the alpine huts dotted throughout the alpine regions are basic, but comfortable and what you would expect of this type of shelter and accommodation.
Mind you, heating is limited to clothing and a warm sleeping bag.
And given there is one big refrigerator outside, keeping perishable food is no great problem, just bury it in the snow and hope the Keas’ don’t find it before you eat it. So you can actually eat very well, which is great given the mountains tend to give you a solid appetite.
But back to this cabin fever thing, the weather turned particularly bad, and I mean badass bad, during the week I was attempting to climb Mt Aspiring.
We had two quite reasonable days before it all went pear-shaped and the wind howled gusting at up to 180 kilometres an hour at times, sleet, snow and rain, pounded Colin Todd Hutt relentlessly for almost three days and nights.
The lightening was striking all around the hut, but its flashes struck silently because you couldn’t hear the thunder over the roar of the wind.
We did keep ourselves occupied during the storm with plenty of knot tying, practicing rescue techniques, cups of sweet tea, and book reading tucked up in a warm down sleeping bag.
But there was some floor pacing as well…
Actually, it was a great experience, if you had to have it, as it demonstrated what nature will toss at you in the mountains, a good lesson in patience.
I’ve just given myself a bit of a slap…
C’mon Baz, you’re not suffering cabin fever, you love the shed, and after all it is a sanctuary, the font of all knowledge and some tall tales.
And besides you have plenty of training ahead of that climbing you are going to do in Nepal later this year.
Best you get reacquainted with the shed sooner, rather than later…
Hey, and remember, if all else fails, remain out of control and see what develops…
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You’re kidding me right? (TomO’s Crazy)
Whenever we go to Terrigal for a paddle on the surf ski or paddle board, TomO manages to make his way over to “The Skillion” with skateboard in hand, well, a Penny that is, best I get it right…
I’m not sure where he gets it from, but you sure wouldn’t catch me careering down that slope on four small wheels with a small platform…
Nah, I’ll stick to the surf ski, ocean and the waves, you’d be nuts to do what he’s doing.
Mind you, if you’re game, grab your helmet and take the walk up “The Skillion” with TomO…
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Barcoo River, Outback Australia
Late afternoon on the Barcoo River, Welford National Park, Queensland, Australia.
I’ve been looking back over some photographs taken on our four-wheel drive touring trips to the Australian Outback.
The Australian Outback, you’ve got to love it!
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Antics in a Bi-Plane (Tigers’ over Wanaka)
A flight in a Tiger Moth from a by-gone era sounded far too good an opportunity to pass up.
On a recent visit to the South Island of New Zealand and in between climbing in the Southern Alps, I did just that, accompanied by my adventurous son, TomO…
And TomO, being a bit of a military buff, relished the opportunity to chase his father around the skies over Wanaka, while Mum, Janet, watched from a vantage point on the lake foreshore below.
The Tiger Moths are owned and operated by Peter Hendriks at Classic Flights, Wanaka.
Peter, along with his flying partner, Andy Hailey, who recently left the RAF after trading a seat in the supersonic Euro-fighter for something just a bit slower, expertly piloted the aircraft.
It even had me reminiscing over my own flying days, another time when Janet and I flew the length and breadth of Australia in our own aircraft, a Piper Arrow.
VH-FTH
TomO and I kitted up in the flight room, donning flying gear of the Tiger Moth era, including a silk scarf, and with the smell of aviation fuel in our nostrils took to the blue skies over Wanaka.
Anyway, why don’t you just jump on board with us and join the flight…don’t forget to strap yourself in, we don’t want you falling out when we do a loop!
And how good is that smile on TomO’s face!
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Dope on a Rope (A boy with a dream)
New Zealand is often referred to as the land of the “long white cloud” and during my two weeks of climbing I saw many variations of that long white cloud.
At times there was not a cloud in the sky, at other times there was white out conditions in the mountains due to violent storms. During my first week in the mountains we had a storm that raged for three days…
Winds were howling and gusting at up to 180 kilometres per hour.
The aim of my visit to New Zealand was to learn more of the craft of alpine mountaineering, and to attempt an ascent on Mt Aspiring, the Matterhorn of the South.
And whilst disappointed we had to turn back from the summit of Mt Aspiring due to deteriorating weather, the experience gained over the two weeks under the expert guidance of Richard Raynes and Steve Moffat from Adventure Consultants, was invaluable.
The focus now switches to my expedition to Nepal in November this year and whilst it is some months away there is little doubt that time will pass quickly…
So there’ll be plenty of long hikes with my backpack, something I relish, and of course climbing in my own back yard, the wonderful Blue Mountains.
I have just been looking at the climbing photos of the past of couple weeks over a cup of tea and here are some of my favourites…
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Gravity is a toy – Should we be proud or worried?
After the climbing I have been doing in New Zealand, and the travelling that Janet and TomO have done whilst I was in the mountains, we decided today would be a good opportunity to all relax together in the beautiful town of Queenstown.
Well, when I said relax, I mean relax in our own special way…
So we headed to a canyon with a high cliff, and jumped – courtesy of the great team from Shotover Canyon Swing, Queenstown.
TomO led the charge with a solo jump; doing a spectacular pin-drop, apparently one of the youngest to do this style. Janet and I followed shortly after, and in case you are wondering, we thought we’d chuck TomO off first just to make sure it all held together…
And perhaps because we are just a little “insane” TomO and I took another leap together!
A chip off the “old block” ?
Yes – perhaps, I’m just not sure whether I should be proud or just a little bit worried…
Oh, don’t worry, we’re very proud (and just a tad worried!)
Anyway, pictures speak louder than words…Jumpppppppp!
(Ps: No trying this at home 😉 )
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No Ordinary Moments; No Ordinary People; No Ordinary Lives
As I stood outside Almer Hut waiting for a helicopter to arrive to take me down from the mountains I looked back up Franz Joseph Glacier and reflected on the two weeks of climbing I have had in New Zealand.
Of time spent with loved ones; chasing TomO in a Tiger Moth in the skies over Lake Wanaka, with Janet, moments shared together, and of time spent on the top of mountains with newly made friends…
Take nothing for granted, for truly, there are no ordinary moments; no ordinary people; no ordinary lives…
Thanks New Zealand!
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Crampons, Ice Axes, and Mountains (Crikey – it gets the thumbs up)
Mountains have a way of drawing you in like a magnet, whether you want to view them, walk up them, or perhaps climb them.
For me it has been about climbing them and the Southern Alps on New Zealand’s South Island has provided me with a great place to do just that over the past two weeks.
And sure, there has been a day here or there that the weather was not suitable, but that is an opportunity to wrap yourself in a warm down sleeping bag way up high in an alpine hut with a good book…
Talking about Alpine Huts, I spent a week at Centennial Hut, situated on the West Coast, and from its position, perched high on an exposed ridge, you could see all the way down to the Tasman Sea…the sunsets were fantastic from our alpine hideaway!
I have learned much over the past two weeks under the supervision of the team from Adventure Consultants who are high altitude climbing specialists based at Wanaka and it has prepared me very well for an expedition to climb in Nepal later this year.
In fact, the climbing in Nepal will not be as technical as the climbing I have been doing these past two weeks, but the summits will be in excess of 6,000 metres!
And whilst I am still surrounded by the magnificent mountains of the Southern Alps I will be putting away the crampons and ice picks for the next few days as Janet, TomO, and I are going to spend some time just relaxing in this wonderful country they call New Zealand…
Crikey…did I say relax – I mean relaxing, as we know how.
All three of us will be stepping off a platform high above a canyon near Queenstown, in what is billed as the world’s largest canyon swing. Once you depart the platform you free-fall 60 metres down into the canyon until the ropes smoothly swings you into a giant 200 metre swing. You then complete a couple of massive swings before you slowly come to rest approximately 100 metres below the departure platform.
Strewth, I’ll let you know how that goes!
And all I can say is – “thumbs up” to climbing in New Zealand…
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A Charmed Life (Climbing New Zealand’s South Island)
I’m heading to the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island today for another week of climbing in the mountains.
We will drive from Wanaka over the Haast Pass to Fox where we will helicopter into Centennial Hut on the Franz Joseph Glacier. Our alternative will be Pioneer Hut on the Fox Glacier.
I spent a week last September climbing this region using Pioneer Hut as a base, and all I can say is the scenery is spectacular.
You can sit on the balcony of the hut at 2,000 metres and watch the sun slowly set over the Tasman Sea.
How good is that!
And the weather looks okay for the next few days at least!
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Crikey – Talk about making a splash (Jet-boating on the Matukituki River)
If you want to see some fantastic New Zealand scenery, take in a couple of the sights of where Lord of the Rings was filmed, and you’re a bit of an adrenalin junkie, than a jet boat ride up the Matukituki River is the thing for you…
I was supposed to be heading to New Zealand’s west coast for another week of climbing in the Southern Alps, however with weather forecast to be less than favourable we decided to postpone our departure by two days.
Mind you, the weather around Wanaka has been perfect during our stay and we’ve been making the most of it!
After a short drive through grazing lands just outside of Wanaka we arrived at our departure point for the trip up the river.
Strewth, what a great ride it was!
Our guide expertly pointed the boat through the various water channels on the braided river, which was still flowing quite fast due to all the recent rain. Yes, the same rain I experienced whilst on the Bonar Glacier trying to climb Mt Aspiring last week.
After about half-an-hour we hopped out of the boat and took a nature walk, marvelling at the giant beech tree forests. These trees are very old and quite spectacular.
And the view of Avalanche Glacier was breathtaking.
Back on the boat we made our way towards Lake Wanaka, stopping at one of the spots where Lord of the Rings was filmed.
If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you will recall a scene where Frodo Baggins is standing on a hill and is stabbed in the shoulder by one of the Ringwraiths.
This scene was filmed in the Matukituki Valley.
I must confess to being a big fan of the series, and as I walked out of Mt Aspiring a week ago, down the valley and through the forest it truly felt like I was in “middle-earth”.
After bidding our guides farewell, Janet and I relaxed by the shores of Lake Wanaka, while TomO went for a swim…
Crikey, what a great day in a beautiful part of the world – and how good is that ice-cream!
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Tiger Moth’s over Wanaka (TomO and Baz take to the skies)
Climbing mountains is one way to get your head in the clouds and tomorrow I will be travelling to the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island for another week of adventure in the mountains.
I climbed this breath-taking area last September and I am looking forward to being there again…
And I am certainly hoping for better weather than the blizzard conditions I experienced last week whilst climbing Mt Aspiring and neighbouring peaks.
But mind you, there is more than one way to get your head in the clouds and this morning TomO and I took to the skies over Wanaka, chasing each other in two vintage “Tiger Moths”.
Crikey, I could go on about how good it was, and it is fair to say TomO still has a smile as big as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but why don’t I just let the photo’s do the talking…
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Summiting is optional – getting down is mandatory (Mt Aspiring)
It is said that summiting a mountain is optional and getting back down is mandatory.
And with this in my mind, with climbing partner, Richard Raynes, I headed off for my climb of Mt Aspiring in the pre-dawn hours of Monday 7 January.
Richard is an exceptionally experienced mountaineer and specializes in mountain rescues, so I was in extremely good hands. For me, this was a great opportunity to learn.
We had planned to climb on Thursday, however the weather was forecast to deteriorate over the week and our climbing window had narrowed significantly.
This was it…
I was feeling rather daunted as we headed off across the Bonar Glacier towards the “Matterhorn of the South” which was standing tall ahead of us.
The moon was rising over the mountain and as we climbed the steep snow and ice slope towards the rock buttress a thin golden line was appearing on the eastern horizon signalling the dawn of a new day.
I remember thinking this was the dawn of just more than the sun rising on a new day, but of a wonderful new world for me.
There were two other climbing parties of two ahead of us and we could see their headlamps bobbing up and down as they made their way.
The weather had been forecast to be better than we had earlier expected and according to the most up to date report we had received the previous evening. So far the report was proving accurate.
But as we climbed onto the exposed side of the mountain and climbed up through the rock formation, called The Buttress, the weather started to turn. We had made it through the most technical section of the climb, and now had a long slog up the steep snow and ice towards the summit.
We could see the summit and the winds were roaring over it at least 100 kilometres an hour and the cloud was now starting to obscure the top.
The groups ahead had turned back by now and as we made our way back down through the rock buttress, abseiling our way back to the snow, we were being buffeted by sleet and strong winds.
It was not to be our day on the summit…
But that is not to say it wasn’t a great experience. Of course our goal was to make it to the top, but above all else, I was here to learn the craft and skills necessary to become a competent mountaineer.
Perhaps the mountain understood this and she gave me an experience that provided a great learning opportunity, so it is hard to be disappointed…
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Send a St Bernard to the rescue (If you haven’t heard from me in a week)
It seems like a long time has passed since I booked my trip to climb in the Southern Alps of New Zealand.
But the time has arrived.
I head off early Saturday morning, flying across “The Ditch” into Queenstown in the South Island, before making my way by bus to Wanaka, about an hour’s drive away.
On Sunday I will be flying into the mountains by either helicopter or ski-plane with Richard Raynes, from Adventure Consultants.
Richard has a first class climbing pedigree and has previously worked for the Mt Cook Search and Rescue team. We will spend a couple of hours walking across the Bonar Glacier to Colin Todd Hut, although we may elect to camp out on Bevan Col, depending on the Hut availability and weather conditions at the time.
On or around day five, which should be Thursday 10 January, we will make our summit attempt on Mt Aspiring. The day will be long, starting around 3am in the morning and finishing as late as 7pm.
And there are no guarantees on making it to the summit, but of course that is our goal and we will be giving it our best shot!
After a hike out from Mt Aspiring I will be returning to Wanaka to spend a few days resting with Janet and TomO, by the shores of Lake Wanaka, before heading back into the mountains for another week of climbing, this time with Steve Moffatt, Adventure Consultant’s program co-ordinator.
Steve has climbed all around the world, has summitted Mt Everest, and lead many mountaineering trips, including Lobuche East in Nepal. I will be travelling to Nepal in November this year to climb Lobuche East, Island Peak, and Pokalde. The first two are in excess of 6,000 metres, and Pokalde is just under 6,000 metres.
My second week will be less structured and we will look to climb a variety of peaks focussing on different aspects of mountaineering.
I am in good hands and I have a great opportunity to learn from these two very experienced climbers.
And although the peaks in the Southern Alps of New Zealand are only just over 3,000 metres in height, they are similar in ruggedness and valley to summit altitude gains to the higher peaks of the Himalaya’s, and for this reason it is a great training ground for my rather audacious plan to climb Mt Everest…
Mind you, it is also a wonderful place to visit and the people are friendly and welcoming.
And at the end of two weeks of climbing, Janet, TomO, and I will be spending a few days in Wanaka taking in the local sights and resting by the lake, before heading to Queenstown for a few days.
Janet and TomO won’t be sitting around whilst I’m climbing and their activities include a helicopter flight onto Fox Glacier, giving them a first hand view of where I was climbing last September, before heading down to Milford Sound for a couple of days.
They will also be retracing the Coast to Coast Adventure Race route. Janet and TomO assisted me in getting through this event across New Zealand last February…and will no doubt be there to support me in 2014’s race!
Anyway, there will be no communication access, other than satellite phone for emergencies, so I’ll let you know how it goes, along with some pictures, when I get back to Wanaka.
Hopefully I will be able to report a successful summit of Mt Aspiring, but even if I don’t there is little doubt in my mind that I will be reporting two weeks of fantastic climbing and fun…
Janet will be updating The Landy on Facebook and hopefully with news on Mt Aspiring so be sure to click on the link and follow our adventures!
And importantly, remember, if all else fails, remain out of control and see what develops…
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A couple of Kangaroos loose in the top paddock (Thankyou)
I have been nominated for a couple of Blogger Awards, including 2012 Blogger of the Year.
I know there is a protocol for responding to these nominations, and two more recently came from The Wish Factor, and Desert Rose.
Normally, I would take the time to respond in the appropriate way.
But as I am heading to New Zealand in a day or two for my next mountaineering adventure I fear that I would not do it the right justice by rushing a response, so please forgive me for not doing so…
But I would like to say to all my friends around the world, many whom I have come to know right here on WordPress – thank you!
I am humbled by the many comments I receive on a daily basis in response to what I have written, to my rantings…
Who, me, Baz – The Landy?
I’m just an ordinary Aussie bloke who tries not to take life too seriously, but to simply enjoy life for what it is, to take it on the chin when I need to, and to have a good laugh at myself all other times…
Strewth, who would ever have thought youse lot would be interested in the ramblings of someone with “a few ‘roos loose in the top paddock”?
But by crikey, I do love talking about this wonderful sunburnt country I live in…
Oh for crying out loud Baz, just say it, Australia’s the best flamin’ country in the world, mate…
And I can’t help but write about my very supportive family, the beautiful people in my life, Janet and TomO, and of the love they give me, unconditionally…
Writing of lazy afternoons down by the lake with friends, of rock-faces in the Blue Mountains, and of course, my rather audacious plan to climb high mountains, of the dream I have to go to the top of the world, to climb Mt Everest…
Every day on Wordspress, millions of words are written by ordinary people, stories about the challenges life has thrown at them, what they have done, and continue to do to overcome them.
About their dreams and aspirations, their highs and lows…
About their very own Mt Everest…
People who want to improve their fitness, to lose weight, to cycle across a city, or across the world.
Many have their sights set on a fun run, and others having completed one, setting their sights towards running a marathon.
For others, it is their challenge to become stronger, to be able to lift more, or about capturing that once in a life-time photograph, perhaps testing a new recipe to share with friends, or with people they have never met.
Others talk about health and lifestyle challenges they struggle with, that they have overcome.
I read as many of them as I can, for they motivate me and provide me with much needed inspiration…
Seemingly, there is always someone in this cyberspace community ready to reach out, to congratulate, to console…
These people aren’t super-elite athletes, or neither five-star chefs, nor are they fitness gurus.
They have a much greater status than that, for they are simply ordinary people – they are you!
Each and every one of you is helping me to find the courage to overcome the challenges and barriers that sometimes stand in the way of my own dreams…
I take great inspiration from you all, and I won’t single any one person out, for you are all very special to me – and from the bottom of my heart thank you for enriching my life by rewarding me with a window into yours!
There are no ordinary moments, no ordinary people, no ordinary lives…
Take care you ‘all…Baz
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Climb Every Mountain…(Can’t wait!)
Can you believe that 2013 has rolled around already? And how good were those fireworks on Sydney Harbour to see in the New Year!
Anyway, I know I’ve been shouting it very loudly at every opportunity of late, but just in case you’ve missed it, 2013 will be a big year for me in terms of mountaineering and climbing, and it starts at the end of this week as I head to New Zealand’s Southern Alps…
Janet, TomO, and I were just looking at some of the climbing and mountaineering photos from 2012 so I thought I’d put up some favourites (again)…it motivates me to get out there…
Crikey, almost forgot…Happy New Year to all from dowunder!
And remember, if all else fails, remain out of control and see what develops…!
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Strewth – You wouldn’t be dead for quids (Out on the Lake)
With less than one week to go before I head off to climb in New Zealand I spent Saturday morning preparing my gear and getting it all packed away.
It is hard to imagine that most of it will find its way into a 65-litre backpack.
Snow shoes, crampons, my best pair of Italian Leather boots, climbing hardware in the form of carabineers, devices and ropes, and plenty of thermals to keep warm up on the glacier and in the mountains…
But once that was out of the way we headed straight for Narrabeen Lake on Sydney’s northern beach’s, our second home, for a paddle with long-time paddling partner, Bob.
Janet, Annette, Bob’s partner, and Debbie, my sister chatted on the lake’s edge, while the younger “boys” were out on the lake in various watercraft.
TomO even had a paddle in one of the bigger boats, which resulted in a couple of “swims” for him!
And crikey, how good is the sun setting over the lake – you wouldn’t want to be dead for quids!
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Dope on a Rope (Strewth – I’m getting very excited)
I feel like I’ve eaten far too much over the festive season, although I do need to have a little extra body fat as I head to climb Mt Aspiring in New Zealand’s Southern Alps for a couple of weeks.
Well, it is a great theory and the one I will be running in any case.
However, training is back on in earnest, and I was lucky enough to get out for a couple of paddles on the lake over the past few days, despite the weather being less favourable.
Although, being out on the lake is more than just training or exercise, it is great for the soul watching the pelicans glide over the water, and other people out and about with family and friends, just having fun, the kite-surfers, the wind-surfers, and paddle-boarders…
But as time is ticking away I will be doing a full gear check over the next few days, and that will raise the excitement level in our household – it will be reaching fever pitch in another few days!
And of course, Janet and TomO are very excited, as they will be following me to New Zealand a few days after I depart.
You just wouldn’t want to be dead for quids…
And of course, if all else fails, remember, just remain out of control and see what develops!
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Jingle Bells – The Aussie Way
Strewth, it is Christmas Eve in the land “Dowunder” already and Janet, TomO, and myself would like to wish all our friends around the world a happy festive season, however you may celebrate it.
We’ll be down on the water for sure!
And if it isn’t something you usually celebrate, that’s okay, just give your family and friends a big hug, or something like that and have a little sing-a-long with us anyway…
Jingle Bells – The Aussie Way
Dashing through the bush, in a rusty Holden Ute,
Kicking up the dust, esky in the boot,
Kelpie by my side, singing Christmas songs,
It’s summer time and I am in my singlet, shorts and thongs.
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer’s day, Hey!
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.
Engine’s getting hot, we dodge the kangaroo’s,
The swaggie climbs aboard, he is welcome too.
All the family’s there, sitting by the pool,
Christmas Day the Aussie way, by the barbecue.
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer’s day, Hey!
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.
Come the afternoon, Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce, are swimming in their clothes.
The time comes ’round to go, we take a family snap,
Pack the car and all shoot through, before the washing up.
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer’s day, Hey!
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.
Translation (for those who might need it!)
Holden Ute – A make of car
Esky – ice container to carry drinks in (usually beer!)
Boot – Trunk of a car
Kelpie – Australian dog
Singlet – Undershirt
Thongs – Footwear (hum, not women’s underwear)
Swaggie – Someone walking the country looking for work
Family snap – a picture
Shoot through – leave
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An awkward tumble – Ouch! (TomO on the trampoline)
With the balance of a cat, the carefree attitude of youth, and fitness beyond his years, TomO is quite an amazing trampolinist.
He got his first trampoline at age 2-years, and outgrew two of them before advancing to an Olympic size mat about two-years ago.
Initially, he undertook training at the local YMCA, but he has never wanted to compete, preferring to think of himself as “TomO – The Urban Tramp”.
And in many ways the YMCA was all about winning the Olympics…
“It’s all about free-style these days, Mum and Dad…”
And I must say, I’m with him on this.
He is a delight to watch and it takes me back to his age when I also did a lot of trampolining, and to all of you out there that want taut muscles and fantastic abs, do yourself a favour and buy a trampoline. I still get up and have a jump with him in the back yard!
We’ve had 10 years of injury-free trampolining…up until last evening!
We we’re having a get-together for family arriving for the Christmas break, and TomO always likes to put on a bit of a show and was “on the mat” doing his thing.
Oddly enough, no one saw the awkward way he landed on the mat, but he came down to the house, holding an elbow and tears streaming down his little angelic face.
He wasn’t used to this happening, and the shock and pain were taking its toll on our little bloke!
We secured his arm and headed straight for the hospital. And thankfully on the way his spirits started to lift; he was asking whether he would still be able to use his iPad – yes a good sign that he was at least settling and recovering from the shock!
After numerous x-rays, and an examination by an emergency room doctor it would appear to be a soft-tissue injury, however they are going to take another look on Christmas Eve, just in case there is a small fracture that they couldn’t see due to the swelling, which wasn’t actually too bad.
Our biggest challenge lies ahead – keeping him off the trampoline to allow the injury to recover, as TomO isn’t one to dwell, he’s stoic just like his mother, two peas in a pod!
And we wouldn’t have him any other way.
Get better soon mate!
ps: You may notice two springs missing on this mat. This mat has been replaced…
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Mountaineering Expeditions in 2013 (Climb-on)
Well 2012 is disappearing very quickly and before we know it the guy in the big red suit will be popping down chimneys, eating the cake, drinking the milk, and enjoying rum that has been left out for him as he makes his annual run from the North Pole.
Crikey, how do you get a job like that? I mean, you work one day a year, get the spoils of the job, and make lots of people happy!
And a nano-second later we’ll all be joining hands and singing old langsyne as we see off 2012 and welcome in 2013.
In our household 2013 signals the start of quite an ambitious travel program, brought about by my desire to climb the world’s highest mountain peaks.
It kicks off early in January when I make my way to New Zealand to climb Mt Aspiring which is situated in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Janet and TomO will be following shortly after and will spend a few days travelling before we meet up in the picturesque town of Wanaka.
Mt Aspiring is called Tititea by the indigenous Maori people and stands at 3,027 metres and it is described as having sheer faces and graceful lines.
We will travel from the headquarters of Adventure Consultants in Wanaka to Bonar Glacier by helicopter as it is usually a 12-14 hour walk otherwise. We then have a 2-3 hour walk on the glacier to reach our destination, Colin Todd hut. And depending on how many people are at the hut we may need to camp out in our bivvy bags on Bevan Col.
The first couple of days will be spent acclimatising and revising cramponing skills, ascending steep snow and ice, and of course, importantly, crevasse rescue. I have spent a lot of time on rescues in the Blue Mountains in recent times and I have a strong belief that you can’t do enough of it – it may save your own, or someone else’s life and the skill needs to be second nature.
Prior to an attempt on the summit of Mt Aspiring we will spend a day climbing some smaller peaks in the area, such as Mt Bevan. It stands at 2,030 metres and they say the view from the top is glorious.
There is something like 27 different routes that can be taken to the summit of Mt Aspiring all of varying degrees of difficulty. Many of these routes will not be available to us due to the time of year we are attempting it. We are anticipating our route to the summit will be the classic North West Ridge route, but a final decision will be made at the time.
Ascent day will begin at 3am in the morning and may finish as late as 7pm that evening and we can expect a mixture of snow, ice, and rock as we progress towards the summit.
The second week in the mountains will most likely be spent in the Mt Cook region, where we will concentrate on some ice climbing as well as a number of ascents over the week. The structure of the week will be decided at the time and where we climb will be dictated to by the prevailing conditions.
There are a number of possibilities, including Mt Aylmer which stands at 2,699 metres, Mt Elie de Beaumont which gives commanding views of the Tasman Sea from its 3,109 metre summit. Other likely climbs include Mt Green and Mt Walter, which both stand just less than 3,000 metres.
After making our way back to Wanaka once again, I will be meeting up with Janet and TomO who will also be full of tales of adventure after their week travelling around in the Southern Alps. They are planning a helicopter trip to Fox Glacier as well as taking in the scenery of the fabulous Southern Alps…
Mid-year, I will be returning to New Zealand to hone in my ice-climbing skills while Janet and TomO spend some time on the ski slopes around Wanaka and Queenstown.
And the big trip is at the end of 2013 when I head off to Nepal to experience the Himalayan Mountain range. This is an expedition to climb three peaks, Lobuche East, Island Peak, and Pokalde. The first two are just over 6,000 metres in height, and Pokalde stands at just over 5,800 metres.
This expedition will provide me with the stepping stone towards an 8,000 metre peak, either Cho Oyu, or Manaslu in 2014. It seems so far away, but time will go very quickly, and there is still much to learn, and 2013 will also be spent taking my fitness to a complete new level.
Janet and TomO will be travelling to Kathmandu where we will spend a week resting together and hopefully visiting some of the Sherpa villages.
We believe this is a great opportunity for TomO to experience different countries and cultures, and he is relishing the opportunity.
Of course, he has already made noises about standing on top of Mt Everest with me, and perhaps that day will come. But it is one step at a time, one foot after another, and hopefully the program over the next 12 to 18 months will set me up for an attempt on Mt Everest in 2015…
But crikey, there is plenty of time between now and then and the three of us will be using every minute of it to have fun, just being Out and About…
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Trust and Faith (Just embrace it)
Trust and faith, sometimes there are situations in your life when you just have to trust something outside of your control, and have faith in your own ability.
Embrace it, as TomO, our beautiful son says…
And even at such a young age, he has great confidence and faith in himself, and embraces everything he does with so much enthusiasm.
The daring of the young, crikey, you’ve just got to love it…
And as I head to the shed for a row today, I’ll be chanting that mantra…just embrace it!
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Jump on board – I’ll take you for a paddle (Narrabeen Lake)
Narrabeen Lake, situated on the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia, is a beautiful sun-drenched oasis situated right on the ocean.
It is a mecca for kayakers, windsurfers, and paddle board riders alike, a place where you can spend a lazy afternoon with family and friends under a shady tree just wiling away time…
The lake, which is 10-kilometres in circumference, is my choice for kayaking as it has very few power boats on it and it makes for a great change from the daily rows on my static C2 rowing machine.
Without fail, a pelican will glide by whilst out on the lake and how majestic are they to watch, something you don’t get to see on the rowing machine up in “The Shed“.
Crikey, as much as I love climbing and mountaineering, and let’s face it you’d have to if you intend to climb Mt Everest, the other past-time I enjoy equally is just being out in one of my kayaks. Whether it is a training session, or just more of a laid-back paddle with friends…
These days, I mostly find myself paddling my 6.5 metre long Epic kayak, a beautifully crafted and sleek boat which is quite fast, well in the right set of hands it is – but I’m working on that!
Next year this will be my choice of racing boat in the winter marathon series, a series of 20-kilmetre races run monthly for about nine-months.
And no, our winter doesn’t go for nine-months, so I’m not sure how that works out!
Over the Christmas break I’ll be hanging up my climbing gear and heading for the lake with family, friends and the kayaks, to get some training in, and to simply enjoy the smell of the fresh sea air…
Now, I’ll let you in on a little secret, so don’t tell TomO, but he’s got a paddle-board coming for Christmas, so maybe he’ll get it a day or two early, just so he can get Out and About on it this weekend coming. After all, it’s pretty hard to hide it up in “The Shed” with him seeing it…
And after a lap or two of the lake there is nothing better than kicking back and watching the sun cast a golden hue over the water as it sinks into the western horizon…
Anyway, jump on board, I’ll take you for a spin around the Lake!
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Talking about Adventure (Strewth – I want a para-glider)
I know that many of you have heard me sing the praises of the Blue Mountains, which is about an hours drive to the west of Sydney, many times before, but let me just say, I’m singing its praises once again.
It is such a beautiful area where you can hike, climb mountains, or if you’re more inclined, just kickback in one of the many cafés and relax.
And we did all of those things this weekend!
We were fortunate that my parents, Brian and Fay, who are visiting for Christmas, were able to join us for a weekend of fun in the mountains…
I did some abseiling and rock-climbing to keep my skills current ahead of my mountaineering trip in New Zealand this coming January.
And I had a great time doing that.
We had intended to climb Tom Thumb, however a slightly later start than planed, and weather that looked questionable had us making other plans, so Gemma Woldendorp, from the Australian School of Mountaineering, and myself headed off to an old favourite, Boar’s Head.
Boar’s Head is a multi-pitch abseil, and a very easy climb out in a very scenic part of the mountains, and only a stone’s throw from Katoomba.
And it was such a great day, for not only were we out and about in the mountains, but we talked extensively about Gemma’s trip to Greenland earlier this year, when she, and good friend Natasha Sebire climbed many peaks, and Para-glided off them in a very remote area of the country.
Janet already wants to sign up for the next trip!
And when the climbing was over for the day we headed to the Carrington Hotel, arriving, oddly enough, just on the cocktail hour…
Of course, it was a very lazy start to Sunday morning. But isn’t that what Sundays’ are all about?
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What’s Baz up to now? (Climb on – Tom Thumb)
It is hard to beat the Blue Mountains as a playground.
I’m heading off tomorrow morning to climb Tom Thumb, and I will be joined later in the day by Janet, TomO, and my parents, who are visiting for Christmas, for an evening in the mountains…
Two of my greatest passions coming together in the mountains this weekend; family and climbing.
Crikey, it doesn’t get much better than that, hey!
Enjoy your weekend whatever you choose to do, remembering, life is too short not to be enjoying yourself…
Just be yourself, and feel free to go nuts – that’s my plan anyway!
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Climbing Tom Thumb (Back to the Blue Mountains)
I am preparing for another weekend of climbing after what seems to have been a long hiatus since my last foray into the mountains.
In reality, it has only been two weeks since I suffered an acute illness after climbing “Sweet Dreams” a couple of Sunday’s ago.
And with only three weeks to go before heading to climb in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, an attempt on Mt Aspiring and a number of other peaks, I can’t get enough training in…
This weekend we are going to climb Tom Thumb, a relatively easy grade 12 climb of around 180 metres, situated near the small and picturesque village of Leura in the Blue Mountains. We will abseil in, and climb out.
We’ll be making it a weekend in the mountains staying at the Palais Royale, and we might even be able to sneak a couple of cocktails in at the old Carrington Hotel after the climbing is done.
Janet is looking forward to visiting some of the boutiques, and TomO will be heading for his favourite bookshop in Leura...
Crikey, this is the life, hey?
And remember, if all else fails, remain out of control and see what develops…
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Great Southern Land (Hidden in the summer for a million years)
Australia is a country of diverse landscapes, from golden beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, to mountains that touch the ocean, and outback plains where the red soil kisses a deep blue sky…
We have been fortunate to travel extensively around our country, at times piloting an aircraft over this wondrous land, and other times in one of our four-wheel drive vehicles.
The other day we were reminiscing some of the trips we have had, especially to the Outback, our favourite place to visit.
And where is the Outback, I hear you ask…
Well, you know, outback; back of yonder!
Those who have never visited, come on down and explore our country, to marvel at our beautiful fauna and flora…you won’t be disappointed, and those who have come and gone, return soon, we miss you.
Enjoy the photos of our travels, mostly taken by Janet and TomO…
And am I just a little bit biased about this great country, our island continent, The Great Southern Land?
Strewth mate, you bet I am!
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