The author of a blog titled ‘tiny lessons blog’ contacted me recently and asked could she use one of my photographs for a poem she would like to write.
Of course, I told her, and she has done the photograph great justice in the way she has digitally altered the way it presents, and with the poem that the photograph inspired her to write.
The photograph was taken a number of years ago in the Simpson Desert, Outback Australia. It is the fourth largest desert in Australia and it is the world’s largest sand dune desert.
Travelling from East to West, I spent around five-days in the desert crossing about 700 sand dunes and covered around the same distance in kilometres, so a sand dune almost every kilometre.
Accompanying me on the trip was my father Brian, my mother Fay, and son TomO, who was around three-years old at the time.
It was a wonderful trip on many levels, my parents loved being taken to a place they had never travelled before, especially with their grandson. They had a passion for travel, but would never had contemplated a trip like this, and lived vicariously through the travels that I undertook with Janet… For TomO, I weaned him off his bottle on this trip, and he threw away his night-time nappy… And me, well it was great to be out with a wonderful family, although we did miss Janet, who was spending time with her sisters in the Margaret River Region of West Australia…
Please be sure to visit tiny lessons blog, where the author describes herself as a, happy beach bum, former director, active world traveller, so-so wife, mother, grandmother, and good friend. And adding, that she is not a photographer, but a pretty creative illustrator.
Thanks tiny, and to all, be sure to visit “down under” one of these days, we’d love to see you!
Seemingly, our land down under is cursed with the world’s largest population of flies. They tickle your nostrils, gather on your back, shelter in your ears and heaven forbid, get swallowed with every breathe you take, well almost…
And here is the thing, where do they go at the end of each day, you know, the sun goes down and they disappear faster than Wally when it is his shout down at the local footy club.
It is like in an instant, the sun slips below the horizon and it is pure bliss, well at least for five minutes, which is usually the time it takes to go and find a light to put on. Strewth, flick the switch and some weird and wonderful bugs appear out of no-where…
It had me thinking on this trip, yes I did have a couple of beers, so the mind was fluid, but I mean, did the bugs clock-on when the flies clocked-off?
Or was it a case of the same horse, just different eyebrows, and in fact it was just the flies dressed up. Lets’ face it, they had the time, cause if I said it took me five minutes to get out a light, it was probably ten minutes by the time I finished my beer, had another, and then flicked the light, so they had time!
Janet has just asked me where I’m heading with this, which is just as well because I’m not really sure…
But anyway, you can either put up with the little blighters, wave your hand around your face from time to time, pretend you didn’t really swallow one or two, or you can grab a fly net and whack it over your head.
TomO and I have generally opted for the viewpoint that they are a source of protein, and casually ignore the fact they have probably spent the last hour or so sunning themselves on a cow patty, or you can go the Janet option and grab a veil.
Isnapped this photo of Janet, with fly veil at the ready, whilst Out and About last week, and I’ve been fascinated by the look on her face – what was she thinking…?
So I invite you to put a caption on the photo…over to you!
Being an avid reader of colloquial poetry I welcomed the opportunity to once again be out in the countryside that inspired the great Australian Poet, Henry Lawson…
For those not familiar, Henry Lawson was a poet, a writer of fiction, and many will argue, Australia’s greatest writer.
Earlier this year we packed ourselves into “The Landy” and headed to Grenfell, his birthplace in the Central West of New South Wales, to attend the Henry Lawson festival, as well as just getting Out and About – of course!
On our most recent trip to the outback we visited Toorale Station which was a vast sheep and cattle property before its purchase by the Federal Government in 2008 and development into a National Park in 2010.
The purchase of the property did have political overtones, and was done, in part, to release water that was used for cotton growing back to the river systems.
At the time it drew a mixed response, but that is a debate for others…
Toorale had at its centre, a magnificent homestead, with a glass ceiling ball-room, sprawling verandahs, wonderful gardens and hand-painted wall paper.
Standing at the gate, my mind’s eye could picture a by-gone area, of women in long-white dresses sipping tea from delicate porcelain china, shaded by the afternoon sun by one of the many trees in the manicured garden, while men toiled on the land..
Toorale Homestead, Outback Australia
Janet, with a sly grin, casually mentioned how things had changed whilst casting an eye towards TomO and I…
Set at the confluence of the Warrego and Darling Rivers it remains a place of cultural significance to Australia’s first people, specifically the traditional owners, the Kurnu-Baakandji / Paakantji People.
Ross Morris, Toorale Homestead
Ross Morris, a member of the Kurnu-Baakandji / Paakantji family, showed us around and was enthusiastic about the opportunities ahead for the park, especially the cultural centre, which is teaching their traditional language, heritage and beliefs to younger members of their community.
In fact, it is now a language module offered at the local school in the nearby town of Bourke…
Ross spoke fondly of the time his father and grandfather spent on Toorale, and of the original owner, Samuel McCaughey, later Sir Samuel.
And it was Ross’s proclamation that it is no longer Black and White, a nice pun I thought, when he explained that we all have a bond to Toorale, whether through traditional ownership, or the heritage created by earlier settlers to the region.
His attitude brought a smile to my parched lips, as I love learning about aboriginal culture and history, something TomO shares in common with me…
Ross’s viewpoint was also echoed by other first Australians’ we spent time with on this trip, on our visit to Mutawintji and Peery Lake.
Samuel McCaughey was by all accounts a big-hearted bachelor and built Toorale for his much admired niece, Louisa, but tragically corporate ownership of the property in more recent times saw it decay and it is currently very dilapidated and in need of substantial repairs.
Toorale Homestead, Outback Australia
Janet and I asked each other how could such a treasure be left to ruin in the elements, Ross shook his head…
But what of Henry Lawson I hear you ask?
Henry spent the later part of 1892 working as a roustabout on the property and it has even been suggested that he penned one of his poems “When the Ladies Come to the Shearing Shed” whilst working in the shearing shed on Toorale…
The Old Shearing Shed, Toorale Station, Outback Australia
Perhaps he did, but I cannot say that was the case with any certainty, but nor does it matter, as the “Toorale Shearing Shed” is typical of shearing sheds all over this great country of ours…
TomO, Janet and I were presented with a great treat whilst admiring the shearing shed.
A lady who was travelling with us on this particular day, Janice, stood in front of the shed and recited, with great aplomb…
“When the Ladies Come to the Shearing Shed” – By Henry Lawson
‘THE LADIES are coming,’ the super says To the shearers sweltering there, And ‘the ladies’ means in the shearing shed: ‘Don’t cut ’em too bad. Don’t swear.’ The ghost of a pause in the shed’s rough heart, And lower is bowed each head; And nothing is heard, save a whispered word, And the roar of the shearing-shed.
The tall, shy rouser has lost his wits, And his limbs are all astray; He leaves a fleece on the shearing-board, And his broom in the shearer’s way. There’s a curse in store for that jackaroo As down by the wall he slants— And the ringer bends with his legs askew And wishes he’d ‘patched them pants.’
They are girls from the city. (Our hearts rebel As we squint at their dainty feet.) And they gush and say in a girly way That ‘the dear little lambs’ are ‘sweet.’ And Bill, the ringer, who’d scorn the use Of a childish word like ‘damn,’ Would give a pound that his tongue were loose As he tackles a lively lamb.
Swift thoughts of homes in the coastal towns— Or rivers and waving grass— And a weight on our hearts that we cannot define That comes as the ladies pass. But the rouser ventures a nervous dig In the ribs of the next to him; And Barcoo says to his pen-mate: ‘Twig ‘The style of the last un, Jim.’
Jim Moonlight gives her a careless glance— Then he catches his breath with pain— His strong hand shakes and the sunlights dance As he bends to his work again. But he’s well disguised in a bristling beard, Bronzed skin, and his shearer’s dress; And whatever Jim Moonlight hoped or feared Were hard for his mates to guess.
Jim Moonlight, wiping his broad, white brow, Explains, with a doleful smile: ‘A stitch in the side,’ and ‘he’s all right now’— But he leans on the beam awhile, And gazes out in the blazing noon On the clearing, brown and bare— She has come and gone, like a breath of June, In December’s heat and glare.
The bushmen are big rough boys at the best, With hearts of a larger growth; But they hide those hearts with a brutal jest, And the pain with a reckless oath. Though the Bills and Jims of the bush-bard sing Of their life loves, lost or dead, The love of a girl is a sacred thing Not voiced in a shearing-shed.
Have you ever wondered what it is like to stay in an underground motel, a room dug into a side of a hill?
Tonight our accommodation is the Underground Motel at White Cliffs in far-western New South Wales.
TomO and I have been frequent visitors over the years, stopping off on our way to and from the Outback, but seemingly, Janet has never been on those trips, so tonight is a first for her.
And what a welcome sight the reception was, standing tall on Smith’s Hill, about the only hill in sight for a hundred or so miles, well not quite, but the landscape is very flat and barren.
We have spent the past three days in Mutawinji National Park undertaking a number of walks through the magnificent gorges set in the rugged and fiery red Byngnano Range. And the wildlife was beautiful…
Kangaroo – Mutawintji NP
Mutawintji is the tribal area of the Makyankapa and Pandjikali people.
Aboriginal people have lived and hunted in this area for thousands of years and during our stay in the park we spent time with an aboriginal elder who took us to view some rock art and engravings of great significance to his people.
Mutawintji Hand Painting
Mark shared the love of his land, his people, his culture with great passion and enthusiasm and we look forward to meeting up with him once again in the future, to share the experience of this great land together…
We left Sydney a couple of days ago in “The Landy” heading west for a tour of Mutawinji National Park and Outback New South Wales.
Our trip to Mutawinji National Park in far western New South Wales, and Trilby Station, situated on the Darling River, will give us some great exposure to Australian Outback Landscapes.
Mutwawinji NP is about 130-kilometres to the north of Broken Hill and situated in the Bynguano Range.
Apart from the natural beauty of the park, with its many gorges, rock-pools, and red gum lined creek beds, it is of great significance to aboriginal people who have been visiting the area for thousands of years to avail themselves of the food and water. The area has also been used for ceremonial reasons and still is to this day.
Throughout the park there are many examples of rock engravings, stencils and paintings. This is one of the park’s great attractions and we will endeavour to see as much as we can, which is usually done with the guidance of the Park Rangers.
After a few nights in the park we will head east towards White Cliffs, a town renowned for its opals and the many “characters” that come to mine the prized stones and we will stay in an underground motel, just for the experience!
After freshening up following a few days in the bush, we will leave for Trilby Station, a working sheep and cattle property on the banks of the famous inland river, the Darling River. A favourite of ours, we will camp by the Billabong and engross ourselves in very little, just taking in the atmosphere of the outback.
Kangaroos, Trilby Station, Outback Australia
We’ll have a few days of relaxation before leaving Trilby and travelling via the small locality of Louth, making our way towards Narromine for our final night of the trip.
Of course, all trips come to an end, and as we make our way back to Sydney on our final day, passing through the towns of Orange and Bathurst, I’m sure there will be plenty of stories and experiences to recount from our couple of weeks “Out and About in The Landy”.
And be sure to keep an eye out for some pictures of our tours over the coming week, hopefully we can capture the beauty of our magnificent outback on camera…
Janet, TomO and I will be heading out in “The Landy” in about a week’s time to visit Mutawinji National Park, which has a lot of aboriginal history, rock engravings and paintings.
And I look forward to sharing some more of the Australian Outback with you…
In fact, this will be the last trip “The Landy” will make for a while as the new vehicle, “The Landy – Mark 2” arrives later this week and will be customised for Outback Travel over the next couple of months.
Yesterday I wrote about a customer service experience I had recently with Track Trailers, the manufacturer of the Track T-Van Camper Trailer.
Lloyd Waldron, the Sales and Marketing Manager of Track Trailer, and I have had a lengthy telephone discussion on the company’s products, and importantly what the Track team are doing to improve its customer service.
The company fully understands the position I took in regards to its customer service in this instance, and as indicated previously I understand it cannot warranty its product inputs forever.
Whilst it would have been more beneficial to have had this discussion much earlier, and in private, I think the key take-away from my perspective is the company acknowledges short-comings it can have at times in its customer service area, but is constantly working to improve this.
They are to be congratulated for looking to improve; the care factor is there.
I am pleased the company has taken the time to respond in a professional way and this gives me every confidence to continue extolling the great virtues of the company’s product offering.
Welford National Park, Outback Australia
It is a great product and that is why we tour the great Australian Outback in a T-Van.
The Shed – Font of all knowledge (and my daily training ground)
You’ve got to love the Aussie Shed, wouldn’t be caught dead without mine…
It is full of exercise equipment; no Janet, I said exercise equipment, they aren’t medieval implements designed to inflict pain, although, come to think of it…
Baz – A daily dose of weight bearing exercise
Anyway, I’m pleased to say I’m back into full swing up in The Shed, making that 4.30am journey up the garden path, passing the dogs, MilO and Jack, who wave me through with complete indifference.
MilO – The Wonder Dog
And yes, I hard you whispering, “crikey he needs it!”
I must confess to being an early morning person, I guess you’d have to be to manage a 4.30am start each day, but it does have its advantages.
Baz – Concept C2 Rower
In between the clanging of weight plates being moved, interval sets on the rower or spin bike, I can stand outside in the pre-dawn silence and marvel at the stars in the sky…
Our wondrous universe…
How bloody good is that, hey!
Yep, I’m a daydreamer, that’s for sure…and by the look of it, TomO has caught the day-dreaming bug!
TomO – A day-dreamer
Hey, it’s good to be back at it!
And remember, if all else fails, just remain out of control and see what develops… 😉
Regular visitors to my much rambling blog will know that apart from trying to climb mountains, and run around the bush with a back-pack, that we frequently get “Out and About” in a four-wheel drive vehicle.
A Landrover Defender that co-incidentally goes by the name of “The Landy”. A vehicle that you’ve got to love, even if it is too slow to keep worms in a tin.
Janet is suggesting you go and grab yourself a cocktail to sip on, after all it is approaching the cocktail hour, and she knows too well I can be Harry-have-a-chat, you know, the sort of bloke that can talk under wet cement with a mouthful of marbles.
Um, I see you made yourself two, good, it is nice to have company.
Strewth, you’re going to drink them both?
Anyway, where were we?
Oh, yes, and don’t we love “The Landy” as it gets Janet, TomO, and me “Out and About” in the Australian Outback, soaking up the big blue sky country.
Mayne Range, Diamantina NP, Outback Australia
Recently, around the camp fire with “Bluey and the Boys”, the conversation got around to the money we spend on our toys.
A self-confessed newbie to off-road travelling and touring posed the question…
“What should I buy and how should I equip my vehicle”…
Crikey, these types of questions are welcomed around the camp-fire as it means at least another couple of beers while answers are given and debated, and besides there is no such thing as a silly question.
Around the fire – Trilby Station, Outback Australia
Janet is hovering a bit and has just suggested silly questions are highly probable if it involves, four-wheel drive vehicles, beer and boy’s around a camp-fire.
But this question got me thinking that perhaps it is asked the wrong way around.
I thought, how much better our bank balance would be money one could save if the question was turned around to read…
“What equipment shouldn’t I buy?”
An often held view is that today’s modern four-wheel drive vehicle needs to be optioned up and fitted with all kinds of after-market gadgetry.
In reality, late model examples of the most the popular brands, including Toyota Land Cruisers, Nissan Patrols, and heaven forbid, Landrovers , yes I have two Defenders, are quite adequate straight out of the box, right off the showroom floor.
Red Rover, The other Defender
The vehicle after-market parts industry would have us believe that a five-inch lift, winch, diff-locks, a bull bar big enough to push over a small building, and an over-haul of the suspension system is required…
And that is just to get you down the front-driveway to the gate of your house!
The Landy and T-Van heading down the driveway (On another adventure)
But strewth, the reality is quite different, and a slightly different approach could have you banking cash to spend whilst on a trip, or something to put away for the next.
Whoops, Janet is still looking over my shoulder…
Yes I’m hearing you sweetie… or that new dress!
Mind you, after that big event you went in whilst in London recently, you remember shop till you drop, will mean “The Landy” won’t be getting any new gadgets for at least another week a long, long time.
Crikey, when it comes to vehicle modifications I reckon you’d be best to just go out and enjoy the country and “suck it and see” on any short-falls you might find.
So I tossed this little list of “things you can do without” into the discussion around the fire…
Bull bars, nice to have, but adds a lot of weight to the front-end almost guaranteeing you’ll need a suspension upgrade.
And yes, I know your uncle lives out at whoop, whoop and he hits a “kangaroo-a-week” and no doubting he needs one.
But I have never hit one in years of travelling the outback.
Kangaroos, Trilby Station, Outback Australia
A Winch… no Bluey, I said winch, so watch your tongue and go and grab yourself another beer…
Well if you get a bull bar, a winch is a great accessory to adorn it.
But really, unless you actually “intend” to go into areas where it is almost guaranteed to be required, than save your money.
Many want to add it for insurance, just in case, and it usually dies from under-use.
A suspension upgrade – crikey, this can be a tricky one, if you have wasted spent money on the first two then you’ll probably need to chuck some money at this as well. Besides, your Toyota Prado will look great in traffic driving across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, head and shoulders above everything else.
Crossing Sydney Harbour Bridge in Red Rover (Head and Shoulders above everything)
But if you can drive with caution and approach obstacles carefully, and not like you’re in the Paris to Dakar rally, you might get away with the stock standard system that was fitted to the vehicle when you drove it out of the show room.
Riversleigh World Heritage Site, Outback Australia (Would test any Paris to Dakar Rally Car)
Communication radios – okay, if you like colourful language and you’re as lonely as a country dunny, it might be a useful addition to an already cluttered dashboard.
Otherwise, if your wife blushes at the thought of a four-letter word, or you have got three kids strapped in the back, then save your money, you can do without it.
If you keep a look out the front windscreen you’ll probably avoid most vehicles coming the other way, after all seeing is believing, or so they say!
Although, come to think of it, if you have got three kids in the back, it might make a change from the “are we there yet” whine.
“The Landy”, Outback Australia (with antennas for the communication radios fully visible)
Power and Engine upgrades – strewth, isn’t that the beauty of modern motor vehicle engines that use computer technology.
You can just plug a few leads in and spend lots of your hard earned cash tweaking something the vehicle manufacturer and its engineers’ spent tens of millions of dollars on ensuring was the best combination when they made it.
Sure, if you want to tow a caravan half-the-size of a Hollywood Mansion behind you, or you have a need to cover the breadth of Australia in record time, then I can see you might need it…
But hey, don’t get me wrong, there are people out there doing chip-upgrades and they need a retirement fund, so live in the knowledge you’ll be making it a more comfortable retirement for them.
A Fridge – hell, this is heading into dangerous territory, after all how do you keep Janet’s wineTomO’s milk refrigerated without it?
The Landy – Outback Australia (that looks like a fridge to me!)
Back in a ‘sec, Janet has just suggested that it would be best if I went to the fridge and get her a top up from that lovely bottle of Hunter Valley Chardonnay she has almost knocked off bought the other day.
Janet – Cheeky as ever
Dual Battery System – well, if you need a fridge to keep things refrigerated then you’ll need a second battery to run it, and perhaps a couple of beers to get you over the bill when it comes in from the auto-electrician.
Roof Rack – have you ever lifted one of those things, they’re usually pretty heavy if you want a good one and another reason you’ll probably need a chip-upgrade and better suspension.
But if you can leave a few items at home, like three-quarters of the things that Janet tries to stuff in “The Landy” you think you’ll need, then you may be able to say no thanks to your local four-wheel drive warehouse, I’ll not be needing one.
The Landy – packed full of Janet’s stuff toys
Spot Lights – the bigger the better, after all if you’re going to spend money on those shiny things that go up front, you might as well get a pair that would spot a Spinifex Hoping Mouseat three miles.
But many of the people I see with them on the front of the vehicle are tucked up in bed at one-minute-past-sunset, which sort of makes them a bit redundant…
Um, the spotlights that is.
But hey, what better way to let someone into your wallet again.
Anyway, I hope you’re still around and not rolling around on the floor somewhere as I can see you finished off those two cocktails…
See, reading a long rambling post does have its merits.
So what makes me an expert anyway?
Yes, I heard you whispering!
A four-wheel drive named “The Landy” that is full of gadgets, and an empty bank account to go with it…
Hey, and good luck out there, wherever there is!
Come on, you can relate to this can’t you?
After all you don’t need a four-wheel drive to whip out that “Fantastic Plastic” and do some damage with that “Weapon of Mass Destruction”…
For the benefit of those not in the know Australia has six states and two territories that make up our Great Southern Land.
For sure we could have a lot more like the United States of America, but hell we’re flat out counting to ten, let alone trying to name 50-States.
Hey, where are you going, don’t worry this isn’t some kind of history lesson.
Alright, grab a beer or a wine if you like, but hurry back, and don’t go wasting your time googling how many States America has, it isn’t that important.
So picking back up, having an unbiased view, of course, there is one State that shines above all, Queensland, the Sunshine State.
Yep, we’ve got the barrier reef full of colourful fish…
You remember Nemo don’t you?
Of course you do, a couple of fish that talk, a few turtles swimming down the East Australia Current, and who could forget Dory, and that great quote of hers?
“Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down do you wanna know what you’ve gotta do?”
Anyway…
Rainforests that roll from the mountains to the reef…
You’re looking for pictures aren’t you?
Well, I’m teasing you, you’ll have to come on over and snap a few for yourself.
Here, I’ll toss you a bone…
Mayne Ranges – Outback Australia
Anyway, we’ve got the warmest people that you could ever meet and whose each and every sentence ends with, hey.
I’m still talking about Queensland, just to be sure…
And hey, don’t get me wrong, the rest of Australia is pretty darn good mind you, just not as good.
Crikey, you know what I’m trying to say…the place is bloody perfect!
Weather to die for!
I mean, 364-days of sunshine a year…doesn’t get much better than that, hey!
Okay okay, yes you’ve called me on this one so maybe not quite 364-days.
But let’s face it, if you’re a pommie, you know, English, those blokes that flogged us at Rugby about a week or so ago banished us from England on convict ships all those years ago, anything more than 5-days of sunshine a year would be a bonus.
If only they knew at the time, strewth, we’d be overrun with those Lion supporters running around in red shirts looking for a “warm beer”.
Yes, Queensland, we’re they’ll call you mate, and mean it…and where the beer is ice-cold.
Now, it might come as little surprise that both Janetand I were both born in Queensland, and to be more precise I grew up in the North. North Queensland that is, and Janet has roots deeply set in the same region.
And TomO, well he is an honorary member…
Crikey, how did that happen…I mean, he’s a Cockroach.
Oh yeah, sorry, meant to say, Queenslanders’ are often referred to as “Cane toads” and New South Welshmen as “Cockroaches”.
So by now you’re probably wondering, what is the point of all this, hey?
Has Baz lost his marbles?
Bumped his head?
Is he a sandwich short of a picnic?
Um, Janet and TomO are nodding yes to all three!
So I’ll just try and make my point…hey.
Strewth, there is none really!
So how about this, pop on over to this great place, you know, our sunburnt country and I’ll buy you a beer at one of our favourite watering holes.
Yeah, up at the Einasleigh Hotel up in the Gulf Savannah, hey.
Gulp Country.
How’s that for a pub…!
Give us a bell so we can get the beers on ice and just ask for Baz, hey!
The jet-setters, Janet and TomO arrived back home from London this morning and for sure it is about time we got something to smile about into our lives once again.
And you’ll be pleased to know that Janet stood at the top of the podium…
You remember – the big event. The dash to spend cash down The Stand, suitcases under one arm, credit card in the other, you know, shop till you drop.
Okay for sure, I did say give it your best shot Janet, you deserve a great win.
But let me tell you – she’s won the gold, hell, a world record…
And I know the little rooster, TomO, would have been cheering her on, but just how did she manage so much, in such a fast time?
Strewth, I’ve had to take a Bex and I’m now heading to the couch for a lie down after lugging all those suitcases from the baggage carousel to the car.
Um, welcome home, darling…and TomO,
And by the way, where’s my present, I did get one didn’t I?
Sunflowers are a favourite of mine, they are so big, bright, colourful and vibrant.
They have always been favoured by my father, Brian, and as a kid growing up I can always remember them growing at his parents home, in Pop and Nana’s backyard.
This morning Dad slipped away peacefully as I watched over him, just as the first rays of light were piercing the eastern skyline over Moreton Bay…
The rising sun is a beautiful thing, taking darkness to light, signalling the dawning of a new day, lighting the pathway to a new life…
And what makes this sunflower so special is it has been growing outside the house where Dad asked my mother to marry him more than fifty years ago…a peaceful spot on the cliffs, overlooking the ocean, Moreton Bay, at Scarborough on the Redcliffe Peninsula.
We’ve shed some tears, and had a bit of a laugh, but above all else, today, we’ve felt so much joy that we have had him with us for so long, always looking out for us all, and never far from Fay, the love of his life.
Sweethearts Forever
Yes, Fay, the love of his life…
He was loved by many and will be missed by all.
Yes, a sunflower, so big, bright, colourful and vibrant…
If you have ever been to one of those end of year sales at a large department store, that seemingly happen almost every other month, you will appreciate they are not for the faint-hearted.
Success depends on just how quickly you can get out of the “blocks” when the whistle blows.
The front doors opened by men of steely nerve, and where a slow start could well see you being trampled as the stampede gets into full swing.
You need to be a seasoned shopper to even contemplate attending…
And speaking of seasoned shoppers, many of you will know that Janet and TomO are currently visiting England, sunning themselves in the spectacularly beautiful Devon countryside.
The weather has been perfect for them, so I’m told!
Devon Countryside
But this is rest ahead of the main event when Janet lines up at the top of The Strand in the heart of London, empty suitcases in one hand, credit card in the other, and at least a hundred boutiques to work her way through…
A daunting prospect for any seasoned shopper, a grueling event by any standard and it all comes down to preparation and a great coach.
The lead-in time to this event was quick and afforded very little time to prepare so she engaged the best shopping coach in the world.
In Janet’s own words…
“I put the call into the Queen of Shop-till-you-drop, a pocket-rocket who wields a Black Amex Card with all the precision of a Jedi Master, and who lives to the motto if you can’t decide on which one to buy than simply buy the lot”.
“The Coach” and Janet – Discussing event day tactics
Of course, Kimbalee“The Coach” has always shied from the limelight so I won’t mention her name, but in the lead-up to the departure of Qantas Flight QF1 to London, “The Coach” ran Janet through her paces.
There were the early morning starts, 11.45am down in Double Pay Bay, an exclusive harbour-side suburb over-flowing with pretty boutiques in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, followed up with lunch down by the Opera House on the world’s greatest harbour, Sydney Harbour.
Shopping is an endurance event and fuelling up is a key ingredient to a successful campaign and there are some divine restaurants dotting the harbour where one can sit back and relax the muscles, aching from the weight of all those boutique bags…
Sydney Harbour – The best place in the world for a lazy lunch
There was speed work to be done…
Standing atop the winners podium, which incidentally simply comes down to being “loaded to the brim” with dozens of shopping bags when the “closed for the day” sign is hung out, will all come down to just how fast Janet can get out the credit card, pay, and sprint move on to the next boutique.
If you think the start of a triathlon is chaotic as entrants jostle for position than you will marvel at the performance of a seasoned shopper. High on adrenalin and with at least a couple of expresso’s under the belt it is best to stand well clear as the “open” for business sign is illuminated on the front door of the first boutique…
Of course, “The Coach” put Janet through her paces with a few sessions of “wait training” after all there are times that you’ll need to stand in line at a cash register.
The bane of all shoppers on a mission…training is key here!
For sure, Janet has had the best of the best work her through the rigors of training for the event.
And as she heads back to London from the English Countryside this week I wish her well as she faces the starters gun in the shadow of Big Ben, ticking away, a reminder that time, or lack of it, is the seasoned shopper’s worst enemy…
TomO – London Town
No doubting TomO will be jumping for joy and yelling words of encouragement for his mum from the side-walk as the hours pass by and the fatigue sets in…
And don’t worry, I have been doing some “weight training” of my own this past month. I’m sure all my strength will be called upon to lug those suitcases from the baggage carousel to the car when the jet setters arrive home…
Janet, sweetie, good luck with the event, I know you’ll do us proud, enjoy it and I’ll be cheering you on, you deserve a great win!
And remember those parting words thatKimbalee “The Coach” gave you as the final boarding call was made…
“Shop till you drop and the credit card is exhausted… you can rest on the long flight home!”
By the Billabong – Trilby Station (Outback Australia)
It has been quite an intense period in our “down-under” household over these past couple of months.
Surgery on my leg, the passing of Janet’s father, Archie, after a long innings stretching almost to his 100th year, and presently the terminal illness my father, Brian, is suffering and that will take him from us in the not too distant future.
Archie and a favourite motor-cycle
Mind you, Brian is comfortable and at peace, and even quipped to me the other day that we’re all dying from the day we’re born, it isn’t how long you live, but how you live it that counts. Of course, his only real concern has been for the love of his life, his partner for over 50 years, Fay.
Courageous words indeed I thought and his faith has kept him, both of them strong…
Brian and Fay – 50th Wedding Anniversary
But I wanted to drop a note to thank you for your kind words of support over these past couple of months, and to be honest, I haven’t caught up on all the news and stories that many of you write on a daily basis, but rest assured, I’m looking forward to getting back into the routine soon.
The Shed – Font of all knowledge (and my daily training ground)
And speaking of routine, I have stepped back from my usual training regime to avoid “running myself down” during this difficult time, but I’m looking forward to a return shortly, and of course, back into the mountains, back on the journey to the summit of some of the world’s highest mountains.
Baz – Climbing in New Zealand
Oh, sorry, what of the jet-setters. I hear you ask?
TomO swanning around in the south of England
Strewth, TomO and Janet are having a “whale of a time” over in the south of England, but I must confess, I’m missing them and look forward to their return in about a week’s time.
By crikey, I’m sure they’ll have some news and tales of adventure that will be sure to cheer us all up!
Good luck out there, and remember, those that don’t think it can be done shouldn’t bother the person doing it!
Today marks the first day of TomO’s mid year break from school, and let me say it seems like only yesterday the school term had begun.
Crikey, why wasn’t school like that when I was a young whipper snipper?
Hell, hang-on I’m still a young whipper snipper, at heart…
Janet and TomO aren’t ones to waste a moment of living, so today they will jet-set out of Sydney, accompanying Janet’s mother, Clare, on a visit to her sister who lives in the wonderful Devon area in the south of England.
For those who visit regularly you may recall that Janet’s father, Archie, passed away about a month ago after a long and wonderful life and not too far short of his 100th year.
Archie – Have Pith Helmet, will travel
Archie always had a passion for travel and seemingly with all the travel TomO has done over the past twelve months it is becoming quite obvious there is only a “sheet of tissue paper” between Poppa Archie and grandson TomO!
It’ll only be a matter of time before TomO will turn up in a Pith Helmet, for sure!
Of course, as many will recall we had all planned to be in Nepal later this year for my climbing expedition, but as I am still recovering from my recent Achilles tendon operation we’ve put those plans aside for the moment.
After all the mountains aren’t going anywhere!
Usually, we travel as a family to experience this wonderful world together…
Always together – Always smiling (Well mostly!)
But now is the time for both of us to spend time with our families. Janet in support of her mother Clare, and me with my family.
It would almost seem a cruel twist of fate, but having just lost a great mate in Janet’s father, Archie, my father, Brian, has been admitted to palliative care in his hometown on the Redcliffe Peninsular, suffering from an illness that will take him from us shortly.
Brian and Fay – 50th Wedding Anniversary
Mind you, he is a man of great faith and he is showing tremendous courage at this time. I said at the time of Archie’s passing that it was hard to be sad when we have so much to be happy about, to have shared our lives with them.
Life, you never know what it is going to dish out to you, but one thing for sure is all you can ever do is live the best way you can…and only one moment at a time.
With a long weekend in the offering and great weather, Janet, TomO, and I jumped into “The Landy” and headed into country New South Wales, the Riverina Area…
And we came across a quaint little town called Ariah Park, with a motto of Wowser, Bowsers, and Peppercorn Trees.
The main street is lined with old petrol bowsers and peppercorn trees, but we can’t vouch for wowsers as we didn’t see another soul!
And strewth, what a great old pub!
Out and About in “The Landy” hey – crikey you wouldn’t be dead for quids…
Life is too short for bad ice-cream and bad hair-cuts
A few days back TomO came home sporting a new haircut even though it was only a couple of weeks ago that he had his last one…
Seemingly, becoming a teenager has heralded in a new found attention in his appearance, let’s call it grooming…
Mind you this new found focus on grooming, the one that takes at least fifteen minutes in front of the bathroom mirror each day, seems to be encouraged by the fact that he now catches a train full of girls from Cheltenham Girls High. But hey, we were all a teenager once…
Yes, okay, that was sometime ago for me, and nice of you to bring that up!
Anyway, I asked him “what do you talk about when you get a haircut?”
“What do you mean, Dad?” he asked…
I said, “you know, what do you talk about as the scissors are snipping away”
“Oh – Just Barber Talk”…he quipped!
“Crikey, yeah I get that” I thought.
As a kid I always looked forward to a haircut, still do mind you and to ensure I avoid that aging rock star look, you know, the long hair, bordering on a mullet, slightly greying, I go regularly…
I like my hair short and must say I’ve never really had long hair, despite being blessed with a full head of hair that costs me twenty bucks every month to trim and keep enhancing my already good looks.
Well, Janet often gets that cheeky little grin when she is checking me out, so I’m assuming it must be my good looks…
Okay, yes she’s biased I know, but don’t just take her word for it…
Someone commented on one of my posts just the other day that I looked quite handsome even with my legs bandaged up. And don’t go asking me who it was, that wouldn’t be fair, so mum’s the word on that score…
But fair dinkum, who said anything about being fair and especially when it comes to vanity, so if you would like to read Sherry’s blog, Fabulous 50’s you can find it here.
I might just put that photo in this blog as well, worked a treat for me last time!
Baz – looking handsome recuperating
Anyway, I’m starting to rabbit on a bit here, so let me get to the point of all this.
When it really boils down to it I think it is the “Barber Talk” that I enjoy the most about a visit to the snip shop. You know, usually you can’t remember what it was that you were talking about five minutes later, but you just know it was good, even if the barber was just nodding most of the time.
So tell me, is this just a blokey thing, or do women get the same experience?
I’m just curious…
And honestly it has nothing to do with the fact that Janet’s hairdo costs ten times as much as mine every month (um, yeah, that would be a couple of hundred). Hell no, don’t you go thinking anything of the sort, besides, I love that little cut she gets…even if it does cost a couple of hundred…
Janet – Cheeky as ever – Um, and nice hairdo!
I talk the leg off the barber’s chair for my fifteen minutes and twenty bucks…So crikey, I’m wondering what you get for a couple of hundred in the parlour, they must talk themselves hoarse…in between all those lattes!
Yep, barber talk, where would we be without it, hey?
During these past few days following the passing of Janet’s father, I have been pondering on the cycle of life, death, and grief…
Surrounded by his loving family, Archie peacefully slipped away from us last week, while Clare, his partner of almost 60 years, held his hand, tenderly…
There was a feeling of deep sorrow and sadness as Arch let go of his final breath, tears were quietly shed as we sat silently in the dimmed light.
But there was also much to be thankful for.
Archie was in his 99th year and he never experienced any major health problems during his lifetime. His love of life alone would have been enough to see him through many more years, but his aging body had simply become too frail to stave off what would normally be a minor illness for most…
We were lucky to have been able share his charm, wit, wisdom…his warmth, for so long.
In the predawn darkness following his passing my thoughts drifted to memories of times I had shared with Arch.
The early childhood stories that Janet and her brothers and sisters have shared many times. Of the travel to wonderfully exotic places that Clare has spoke excitedly of at every opportunity, and with whom she had shared with the love of her life, Archie, Archie Fawthrop…
A smile eased the tension in my face.
I thought about Archie’s life that began with his birth in Burma, of growing up in India, and boarding school in England, of his time as a Captain in the British Army during the war years. Of a sea voyage he took with his young daughter, Mary, to the country that claimed him as one of its own, Australia, and of the family that Clare and Archie so beautifully raised at Garden Grove…
Archie welcomed me into his family with open arms and over the years I have valued his advice, his friendship, the stories he has told me…the laughs we have shared together.
The mere mention of his name will surely bring a grin to your face, and we’ve all got an Archie story, for there are many. And as the years pass they will be recounted like it was only yesterday that we were all together sharing the moment.
But on life, death, and grief…
Yes, we will all pass one day, but for me grief suggests I have lost something; that something has been taken away from me.
But quite to the contrary.
Archie has given me much to be thankful for, beautiful memories, his wonderful daughter, Janet, with whom I am lucky enough to share my life, and our son TomO, who has more than just a shade of Archie in him, an overabundance of that wonderful “boyish-Archie-cheekiness”.
And as first light was beginning to pierce the eastern horizon and the warmth from those first rays of light filled my body, I swear I heard him whisper his most famous line, the one that always brings an infectious smile to your face, the line that sums him up perfectly.
Ever had a next door neighbour that you wish would just go away? You’ll know the ones I’m talking about, loud, unruly, parties until all hours, beer bottles chiming to the sounds of cheers!
Mind you, it almost sounds fun when it put is that way, but it does wear thin after a while.
And then there are the silent ones, no noise, no parties, pretty much keep to themselves, but shikes, they sure can give you the creeps.
Strewth, we’ve had our fair share of them over the years, but we are lucky to have great neighbours all around us these days!
But I’ll share a yarn about one neighbour that we had a while back, in the outback.
We were out touring in Far North-Queensland, FNQ (pronounced ef-fen-Q), up in the Gulf Savannah Country where Janet has her roots. Mott’s are still grazing sheep and cattle in that region to this day, and for me this region was my backyard as I grew up in Townsville…
Over the past few years we have made the 7,000 kilometre round-trip to one of our most favourite spots in the Australian bush, Lawn Hill Gorge.
Now let me tell you, this is one heck of a beautiful spot that we first visited back in the 1990s. It was literally a flying visit in an aircraft we owned, a Piper Arrow, call sign Foxtrot-Tango-Hotel.
This was before the little tacka, TomO, came along, and we flew it extensively over the Australian outback before selling it some years back.
These days we enjoy the drive north through the outback in The Landyjust as much as we did flying over it.
The Aussie Outback, it’s a great place to just stand still and take it all in, a place where the barren land and ochre red soil meets the deep blue of the never-ending sky…
Anyway…
When we were last up there we had no problem securing a great spot beside the creek, which surprised us as there were a few others around at Adel’s Grove, a small tourist resort that caters for travellers just nearby to the main gorge.
It turns out our neighbour was a magnificent Olive Python measuring about 5 metres in length.
A beautiful specimen and apparently they are only known to eat small children…
Just kiddin’…
It had taken up residence just on the bank where we had set up camp. Despite their size they are not an aggressive snake and they are not venomous. And we have our fair share of those venomous ones.
Crikey, we’ve got a bagful of the world’s most deadly snakes, and none of those “rattling” things that they have elsewhere, just hard-core mean and downright dangerous ones!
Okay, fair’s fair, the North American rattle snake does make it into the top ten…
Most passing by our camp were totally oblivious to it being there, many who saw it thought they were about to be eaten alive, others were curious at a seemingly chance encounter with something so wonderful.
Late in the day, as the sun drifted low into the western horizon and shadows started to cast long, it would move on, returning first thing the next morning to take up its position once again.
Yep, neighbours, they come in all shapes and sizes, some you love to bits, others you’d be happy to see the back of, but for sure, we’d be happy to have this bloke as our neighbour anytime – best “guard dog” we’ve ever had…
Ps. For those who might be wondering, Janet was the photographer and loved it. Um, I must’ve been busy with something… 😉
Can you believe this our little fella, TomO, joins the ranks of the teenage brigade today. A very special baby so bursting with life that he couldn’t wait the usual 39-weeks and arrived on the scene almost 6-weeks prematurely…
TomO
We nicknamed him Smiley before he was born and he’s never stopped smiling…
Visit the Australian Outback in the warmer months, especially after rain and most likely a billion flies will join you.
And yes, I meant a couple of billion.
It is a funny occurrence, they turn up at the crack of dawn, literally, and as the sun shimmies below the western horizon in the late afternoon they disappear, seemingly from the face of the earth.
Mates hanging out in the outback – with fly nets (only girls wear veils!)
I’ve often pondered where do they go…
Personally, I try to ignore them, which is hard when they crawl all over your face, up your nostrils, and heaven forbid, don’t breathe through your mouth, lest you want some additional protein for breakfast.
TomO – Outback Australia
Strewth, I hope I haven’t painted a picture that turns you away from visiting, after all we do like to share the experience of the never ending outback!
A never ending sky kissing the parched red earth in the far off distance…
But don’t worry, we have a solution, a veil, a fly veil that you can put over your head, and bingo, they’re out of your face!
Crikey, speaking of veils and kissing, 29 years ago today Janet was wearing a beautiful veil and lovely dress as we walked down the aisle together. Talk about a radiant bride who has blossomed into the kindest and most beautiful person you could ever be lucky enough to meet… 😉
She was literally the girl next door, how’s that hey!
Almost two weeks have passed since I had surgery on both ankles and recovery seems to be going well. I’ve been getting plenty of rest on the couch, a few books, some movies, and lots of sleep.
I’ll be seeing the Doctor tomorrow and will have the stitches out and my first physiotherapy session.
But I can’t wait to get back into training for the climb in Nepal this coming November, but slowly does it…
Janet and TomO
And Janet & TomO have been fantastic, as usual, although Janet was heard to quip to a friend the other day, that keeping me resting is like telling our beautiful Border Collie, MilO, to sit still.
A bit like herding cats, she laughed…
MilO – The Wonder Dog
Thanks to all for your wonderful messages of support, the best way I can repay your kind thoughts is to stand tall on those big mountains I want to climb, and give you a window into the beautiful Australian Outback at other times…
It is always with great anticipation heading down the driveway, waving good-bye to the urban surrounds we are so familiar with, but long to escape, steering “The Landy” towards the bush, the outback and today was no exception.
Janet had finished packing the food into “The Landy” the previous night and now there was nothing left to do but jump in and head-off.
Taking advantage of some additional time off over the easter break we decided to make a quick dash to the outback and a cattle station in western New South Wales, Trilby Station.
Joining us are our good friends Bob and Annette and “the boys”, David and Stephen.
We travel together often and as it would be a long drive ahead, 860 kilometres to be precise, we headed off in the pre-dawn hours, 2:30am on the dot, which is early even by my standards.
The drudgery of the freeway to the north-west, the escape route from suburbia, soon gave way to the foothills of the Blue Mountains and as we settled into the dawning moments of our sojourn we began to reflect on what it must have been like for the early explorers as they made their way westward, journeying on foot, horseback, and bullock dray.
These days the trek over the mountains is done mostly in the relative comfort of a modern vehicle, although Janet was heard to whisper, under hushed breathe, something about there being little difference between a bullock dray, and “The Landy”.
“The Landy” crossing the Darling River into the Australian Outback
They say the journey is just as important as the destination, and we enjoyed the drive, passing many small communities we hadn’t seen for some time, arriving at Trilby Station, which is situated on one of Australia’s important river systems, the Darling River, in the early afternoon.
It didn’t take long to set up camp and the boys had the boat into the billabong and were off to explore.
The Boys out on the Billabong
Explore, isn’t that what life is all about, and fair dinkum, how good is the Australian Outback.
Recently I was nominated for an Inspiring Blogger Award, for which I am truly humbled.
I understand there is a protocol for responding to these nominations, kindly made by Christina Waschko, author and owner of the “Strawberry Lounge” in the Netherlands, and by Kevan, a Canadian Expat living in the Czech Republic.
First and foremost I would like to say to both Christina and Kevan, thankyou!
I am overwhelmed by the many comments I receive on a daily basis in support of my journey and in response to what I have written, my rantings.
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, have a good laugh at myself at other times, and to take the mickey out of anyone that is fair game!
Strewth, who would ever have thought you lot would be interested in the ramblings of someone with a few ‘roos loose in the top paddock, and who wants to climb the world’s tallest mountains.
But crikey, I do love talking about the sun-drenched country I live in with my wonderful family…
In fact, given half a chance, I’d talk the leg off a kitchen table telling you about it…
Oh, for crying out loud Baz, just say it, you’re amongst friends here, 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…
Janet and TomO
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.
Baz – Climb on
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.
The Shed
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…
And remember, if all else fails, just remain out of control and see what develops!
“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”
― Marcus Aurelius
Dream Big Baz...
I’m not one to run around dispensing advice on how one should live, that’s a journey of discovery that we are all on.
But every so often I read something, a quote, a thought that eloquently sums up how I feel.
You see, I’m a dreamer, always have been, and always will be, thankfully.
The power of the mind is beyond anything we could possibly hope to understand, it doesn’t know what is real, or what isn’t, besides, what is real, and what isn’t anyway!
Crikey, I’m getting a bit too deep and you’ll end up thinking I’ve got a few ‘Roos loose in the top paddock…
Umm, there’s a fair chance I have, so you won’t be too far off-track!
So my point, just picture yourself achieving the things you want to, finding the happiness you are looking for, believe in yourself.
Each morning as I head toThe Shed to exercise I take time to look up at the stars, to dream, to run with them!
The power of the mind
And here is the best thing about dreaming, no-one can ever take them away from you, ever!
Oh, who is Marcus Aurelius I hear you ask?
Marcus was a Roman Emperor who lived over 1,800 years ago!
And talking about dreaming, Janet has just wandered by and said she’s dreaming that some nice person is going to give her a neck massage. I guess that’s my cue to stop dispensing advice…
Take care out there, and remember dream so big that it frightens you!
Now don’t you good folk go worrying that this Mr Incredible thingy that a wonderful person, Christina, wrote about me is going to my head. You know, Bob Parr, family man, super-hero from the ‘burbs.
Crikey, this is incredible, you’ve forgotten haven’t you. My moment in the spot light and its slipped from your memory already…and it hasn’t even been 24 hours.
Your teachers were incredibly perceptive when they said , very bright, but needs to pay more attention to detail…
You can bring yourself back up to speed on it here.
Anyway, where was I, yes, don’t worry, there’s no chance of it going to my head, I’m far too incredibly modest to allow anything like that to happen.
And whilst I’ve got your attention for a moment or two, you’d have to admit that I am incredibly handsome. I just thought I’d put that out there, glad I got that out in the open for you, not that I’ve ever thought that myself mind you, never, no way, well not this week at least, not until this story appeared anyway.
In fact, so incredibly handsome that I can spend at least 10 minutes in front of the mirror admiring grooming myself each day.
Don’t just take my word for it, ask an incredibly impartial person, like Fay, my mother.
And someone did recently suggest that I looked like Harrison Ford.
Incredible…
True, you’re right, it was my brother-in-law mumbling something about Indiana Jones and we’re both doomed when the girls find all these empty beer bottles in the morning…
Of course, I am incredibly strong, what do you think I’m doing up in TheShed at silly o’clock each day with my cape and face mask…
The Shed – Or Super Hero hideout?
Isn’t that what super-hero’s do?
And my boss, god bless his soul, did say that he’s glad I’m an incredibly talented mountaineer he’d believe anything I told him, to which he added that it is a blessing in disguise because I’m incredibly hopeless at trading currencies, but as he still needs someone around to send for coffee each day I should consider myself incredibly lucky!
That’s what I like about him, he’s incredibly generous when it comes to accolades about me…
And while I’m mucking around with this newfound fame word it would be entirely wrong not to mention that I have an incredible family, Janet and TomO.
Strewth, didn’t I luck out there, hey?
Yes, I heard you, incredible you said, didn’t you!
TomO, truly an incredible miracle for both of us, in fact so much so it often brings a tear to our eye…
TomO – An Incredible in full flight
And, let me tell you, he’s an incredible trampolinist, an urban tramp!
Oh yes, he’s an incredible son, incredibly likeable, okay, yes, he is incredibly cute and the Cheltenham girls are already checking him out on the train on the way to school each day, but who is this story about anyway…so let’s move on!
And speaking of Janet, she is incredibly beautiful with an incredible tolerance, spirit and adventurous personality.
Janet – An Incredible in full flight over Picton, Australia
Mind you, as I write this she has this incredible look on her face that is saying Mr Bob Parr you’re going to come to an incredible and sticky ending if you don’t take the rubbish out before the garbage man comes this week…it’s a short story, incredibly, I forgot last week.
Strewth, that’s right she’s an Incredible as well, best I don’t push my luck, so I’ll get on with that little job right now.
But let me say this, if I ever get to the top of some of those incredibly high mountains I want to climb it will be an Incredible super-human feat, well for me, in any case!
Baz – Southern Alps, New Zealand
So to all, thanks for your continuing interest and ongoing support in the adventures that we get up to…and be sure to hang around for a while, I’ll be needing all the support I can muster to get me up those mountains…
And remember, there are no ordinary moments; no ordinary people; no ordinary lives!
Recently, I was approached by Christina from a Scribeslife asking if she could write a story about me, The Landy!
Of course I was rather flattered and Christina has put this story together and it appears in her blog.
But strewth, being described as Bob Parr from the Incredibles?
Just wait till “Bluey and the boys” down at the local footy club get a hold of this.
I mean, they’ve only just forgotten about the time I tripped on my shoelaces going down the aisle with Janet (it’s a long story, but I can’t tie my shoelaces properly!) and that was about a quarter-of-a-century ago.
Anyway, I guess it will be my shout again.
And while we are grabbing a drink, here’s a toast to Christina, be sure to check her blog out!
Bob Parr, hey? Umm, might get used to that…
And remember, if all else fails, there’ll always be “Bluey and the boys” to bring you back to earth!
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.
Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs
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…
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…
TomO’s first basketball match
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…
Baz – Narrabeen Lake, Northern Beaches, Sydney
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.
Windsurfing, Narrabeen Lake, Sydney, Australia
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.
Looks like mischief in the making
Life… you’ve got to love it, truly, no ordinary moments, no ordinary people, no ordinary moments, ever!
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!
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.
TomO and Baz over Wanaka
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.
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!
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…
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…
What chance did TomO ever have – with this pair as parents
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!
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.
TomO and Baz over Wanaka
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…
Janet, TomO and Baz – Wanaka, New Zealand
Take nothing for granted, for truly, there are no ordinary moments; no ordinary people; no ordinary lives…
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…
Xplore 