Pub dinner with Gavin and Michael on a rainy night

Beef pie and truffles at a smart Irish pub in the city. We walked from Central to The Rocks, a walk I always enjoy. It was a stormy night and we got pretty wet at times.

This is one way to stop your T shirt getting wet in the rain!

Gavin using AI to be silly!

Mardi Gras

I went to the Mardi Gras with Gavin, Rajesh and Rajesh's new girlfriend. Gavin and I dressed up in tights!  It was very crowded so we didn't stay too long, then met Tania and some of her friends in King's Cross.

Canyoning adventure

A fabulous weekend of canyoning in the Blue Mountains.

Highlights included: 

• Getting to meet Gavin's wonderful friend Luke who joined us on the adventure. He is so much fun.
• Srini's awesome leadership skills. He has become such a skilled canyoner. We always felt safe.
• Some great abseils down beautiful waterfalls.
• Coming to what I thought was the end of the canyon only to discover some of the best and most beautiful parts of the canyon were still ahead.
• Discovering how much easier and more pleasant abseiling is when you wear gloves!
• Squeezing through some tiny cracks and holes with water pouring through to get back into the lower parts of the canyon.
• Gavin discovering water had got into the dry bad containing his lunch. His very soggy sandwich didn't look very appetising !
• Rayu in his hoodie looking like an ICE official.
• Coming across some very large spiny crayfish (yabbies) in the river. Some were tempted to bring them home for dinner. Gavin, who has just completed an Upschool course about nurturing wildlife, was having none of it!
• A steep climb out of the canyon at the end to enjoy a great view while we had lunch.
• A kilometer from the car, the heavens opened and it absolutely poured. Srini had gone on ahead and we arrived at the road in the bucketing rain, not knowing whether to go left or right.  Watching Gavin try to shield his phone while attempting to call Srini was a sight!
• Sheltering under Srini's gazebo in the pouring rain at Mount Wilson, deciding whether to stay or go. Lots of prophecies about when the weather would clear. Thankfully it did after 90 mins and we were able to set up our tents. I was relieved because I only had a $10 Kmart tent with no flysheet.
• Sitting round the fire eating dinner, chatting, laughing. Always feels so great.
• Luke giving Gavin his luxurious swag to sleep on. Ah, the comfort!
• Sausages and garlic butter for breakfast. A glorious ritual.
• Gavin and I stopping off for an awesome swim on the way home.

Gavin and Luke

Looking surprisingly relaxed!

Climbing out of the canyon to a great view

Mount Wilson camp site

Stopping off for a refeshing swim on the way home

Awesome video footage taken by Ashesh