Weekend at Barrington Tops

I spent a wonderful three days exploring the world heritage-listed rainforests of Barrington Tops, about 250 km's from Sydney.  The first two days was with a Meet Up group  (Sydney Explorers), the third day by myself.

Highlights included:

• The great place where we stayed (Wangat Lodge) set in the tranquil forest, teaming with wildlife.
• Ken, the wonderfully friendly, passionate and knowledgeable proprietor of the lodge who took us on some stunning walks, and regaled us with some great stories.  Ken had a gorgeous little daughter, and their close, loving relationship was beautiful to watch.
• The lovely, chilled out group.
• The first day hike (22 km) to the top of Carey's Peak through misty forests and our elation when the mist magically cleared for a little while at the top so we could enjoy the vista.
• The gorgeous flowers and leaves along the way and the changing vegetation as we gained altitude.
• A bracing swim after the hike that felt more potent than a trip shot of espresso coffee!
• A really fun game of table tennis with Maj-Britt.
• An early morning hike on the second day which was a bit like a treasure hunt as we searched for bottle tops to show our way.
• Ian's great navigation skills.
• The beautiful reflections in the river, along the way.
• A freezing, but exhilarating swim in a forest pool that I don't think had ever felt the sun.  I screamed like a little girl when I hit the water!
• Great fellowship and conversation around the fire in the evenings and on the tranquil patio during the day.  
• Some lovely heart to hearts with Elna, a fellow South African.
• Adrian and Rudi, wonderful characters, who made me laugh a lot.
• Great spiritual discussions and some wonderful laughs with Maj-Britt.
• A fun hike guided by Ken. The highlight was the enormous fig tree in the forest, which some intrepid adventurers decided to climb.
• Lying on the helipad at night as a group, and looking out into the vast night sky, filled with awe at the beautiful stars. On the final night, when I was alone, I went back and spent hours doing the same.
• A fantastic discussion with Ken on my last night over a glass of port, about life and death, religion and spirituality, music and poetry, nature and wonder.  Ken gave me a collection of poetry by his recently deceased friend and it's inspired me to start writing poetry again.
• A fantastic hike at the Williams River on the final day, through pristine rain forest.  The highlight was sighting of Regent's Bowerbird.  I've only seen it once before.

First day: 22 km hike to the top of Carey's Peak

Walking through the beautiful trees

Leaves of every shape and variety.

The spring flowers were still out in force.

This amazing hut is ticked away near the peak. It's in a beautiful spot, definitely somewhere I'd like to come stay sometime.

A beautiful rock pool near the hut.

Here we all are, elated at the peak.

Having fun on the way down.

Surrounded by a bevy of gorgeous woman.  Tough life here in Australia!

No hike is complete without a leap.

Having a bracing but wonderful swim after the hike.

Second day early morning hike

A restful hike through forest glens, following bottle tops.  The swim was one of the coldest I've ever had.  What a way to wake up!

Beautiful reflections in the water.

Coming out of the forest, into the sun, which felt amazing as we were cold from our swim.

Third day hike with Ken

Ken, our wonderful guide, is the friendly looking guy in the middle.

Playing around with Ken's magnifying glass.

Group photo in the forest.  What a beautiful fig tree.

Beautiful wildlife along the way.

Life back at the lodge

Third day hike at The William's River

Pristine rainforest.

Beautiful textures in the rain forest.

Old buildings on the way

Stormy skies

We had some huge storms in Sydney last week.  I was so glad to be cosily tucked indoors...

Correspondence with Dani (year after break-up)

Hi G,

How are you ? Hope you are well and had a good weekend. Seems like a very long time since we caught up....what have you been up to ? I've seen a few piccies on your FB page of bushwalks, camping and South Africa -    looks like you've been adventuring a fair bit. How is Mack ? your fam ? and Alex and Sue ?

I'm still at UTS and enjoying it though it is busy and intense as we're finishing 3 buildings this year. 1 down 2 to go. They renewed my contract for another 3 years so I'm very happy about that. Still paddling though not so regularly - club politics, or paddletics, are getting to me again so don't think I'll renew my membership next season. Happy doing coffee cruises with friends and rubber necking at wildlife (some things don't change). My fam is good. Mum and Dad just came back from 6 weeks oversees hiking, sightseeing etc in Europe. Nat and the kids are good though Andrew is recovering from an ankle operation so is getting waited on hand and foot (pun intended). Zak is very passionate about his surf photography; almost as much as Sally is about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles !

Just thought I'd let you know that I've been seeing someone for just over a year now. His name is Paul and he's also a sustainability manager. We met at a David Suzuki lecture ! We are actually moving in together this coming weekend - up to Hornsby. Sad to leave my lovely little unit so close to the City but it feels right and I'm looking forward to more space, an actual backyard and not having to listen to my wannabe rock god neighbour strangling his guitar. Ahh the serenity. Just thought I'd let you know in case I post something on FB...

Anyways, would be good to hear your news. I hope you are happy, healthy and enjoying life :)

Ciao,

Dani



Hi Dani

When I was in South Africa in April, I went on a canoeing trip in the wilderness. One night I lay on the ground and looked out into the vast night sky and my thoughts turned to you as they sometimes do.  I wished from the bottom of my heart that you were happy and well and that you'd found love with someone really special.  As I wished it, three shooting stars shot out across the sky in instant succession.  I was absolutely awe-struck as I'd never seen anything like it. And I was also filled with a great sense of peace that surely this was some kind of sign that everything was well with you.

I was so, so happy to read your e-mail the other night and to learn that this wasn't wishful thinking.

I'm sending you positive vibes as you move to Hornsby - that everything goes smoothly and beautifully. Hornsby may be further away from the city, but at least it is on a direct train line and you're always sure to get a seat. Think of all the great books you'll be able to read on your commute.  Maybe even put your Kindle to great use.  It will be lovely to have a backyard too.  You'll be able to make up for last time with lots and lots of delicious barbecues.

You made me chuckle when you mentioned the irritating guitar player in your block.  My neighbour has taken up the trumpet (of all things!) and he's been playing the same dreadful tune for months, often early in the morning, and never gets any better at it!  I've seriously considered phoning him up at 4 am each morning to tell him how much I enjoy his playing.

You asked for some news from my side so here goes ...

2013, after our break up, was a very tough time for me emotionally. I found myself grappling with feelings, unimaginably deep, that left me reeling at times. It was also a time for deep reflection, and a time of great spiritual growth; a kind of opening of my heart that allowed me to feel emotions I've been blocking for years. A priceless gift, though painful at the time.

2014 has been a wonderful year, one of the happiest of my life. I spent nearly two months in South Africa and connected more deeply with my family than ever before, especially with my little nephew.  On the Sydney front, I've thrown myself into many wonderful hiking adventures, capturing the wonder of nature with my camera as I go, and making some very special friendships along the way. My meditation practice keeps getting deeper and I feel more and more connected to something greater than me that I cannot name or define, nor would ever want to.  It gives me an immense sense of calm and trust.  I'm still playing tennis and my dodgy forearm has suddenly come right which means I just about always beat poor Brendan these days, much to his disgust!  Work's going great and I still find time to work on my quotations project which I firmly believe is going to change the world of online quotes and earn me enough passive income to free me up to travel and photograph all the world's remaining wild places (I live in hope!)

On the romantic front, I made a conscious decision to stay single for a year after we split up; to focus instead on broadening my circle of friends and getting total clarity on what I wanted for my life. And then, in June this year, as if by clockwork, I fell for a lovely South African girl who I met through hiking.  We got really close, but a few weeks ago she left for a year long sabbatical in Africa to train to be a nature guide and do volunteering which she's been planning to do for years.  I'll join her next year to explore Mozambique together.

Mack is as gorgeous and wonderful as ever, although he's suffering a bit from what the vet thinks may be mild arthritis, so I'm not walking him as much as before. Liza is still a big part of his life.  We always see the vet together and I think he is extremely curious as to the exact nature of our relationship.  We so clearly have absolutely nothing in common. Except for an endless mutual adoration for a little furry creature.  And that counts for everything.

You asked about Su and Alex.  Well, a short while after we separated, Su happily announced that she was pregnant.  She asked if they could continue to stay in the house after the baby was born. I immediately said yes, feeling it was meant to be.  They got married in November at Balmoral Beach and I took photos. And then on Jan 15, beautiful little Amilie was born.  She was the perfect baby, often sleeping 12 hours shifts, and just about never crying and I was a very proud and doting "uncle". Then in June, they decided to emigrate to Europe, and at the end of July they left and took their (my!!!) baby with them.  I felt sad but very grateful to have experienced it all.

Your positive influence continues to live on in my life ...

• I still use my slow cooker often
• I've been to all the National Geographic presentations at the Opera House after enjoying Matthias Klum so very much (that was honestly the best present I think I ever got)
• I live in excited (almost cold turkey type) anticipation of the next series of Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead which you, of course, introduced me to (having now gone to the dark side and become a compulsive downloader of movies!)
• I continue to use the word "nana nap" to describe what has become a regular practice.
• I went to another fancy dress not so long ago, and wore my mullet again!!
• I still think of you when I have a mocha, though I've greatly cut down on my caffeine fix.

Anyway, that's enough news I'm sure. There's always tons more on my blog, which I continue to update religiously, much to the delight of my mum and my 80 year old self.

Wishing you all things wonderful.  Plenty of happiness, joy, excitement, adventure, wonder, fun and laughter. A relationship full of love, connection, sharing, support and mutual discovery.  And Saturday morning paddles jam packed with exhilarating wildlife sightings.

With love,
G

PS  If you're looking to do an amazing but relatively unknown hike that's not far away, I can't recommend this one enough.  You'd love it!!

PS PS  If Zak ever puts his surf photos online, please send me the link as I'd love to see them. He and I seem to share so many passions.

A night of Extreme Adventure at The Opera House

Wow, what an inspiring event this was!  Bryan Smith, one of the world's leading film makes of extreme adventure for National Geographic did a riveting presentation on his 10 year career.

Highlights:

• Sharing this amazing evening with Elizabeth, Gavin, Michelle, Srini and Zante.
• The beautiful montage of nature shots at the beginning (wow, we sure live on a wondrous planet).
• Bryan's fascinating stories; such an accomplished and entertaining speaker.
• The three types of "fun."
• How much he's achieved in just 10 years. Amazing what passion can do.
• Exquisite shots of kayaks going over waterfalls done with moving cameras on wires so you could get a real sense of how the kayaker felt. 
• An account of expeditions down uncharted Russian rivers, teaming with salmon and bears.
• An amazing scene of a volcano erupting behind them.
• Getting an appreciation of the logistics involved in adventure expeditions and the tricks needed to get planes to accept their luggage.
• Watching the legendary Dean Potter tight rope between two huge granite pillars with the enormous moon rising up behind him (absolutely sublime, see the video below.)
• Watching how the crew created an enormous ramp at the top of a high mountain so Dean Potter could leap off.
• Seeing how extreme climbing is filmed behind the scenes.
• Bryan's compelling message: "Push the envelope, be adventurous, do things where there is an unknown outcome.  At the very least, turn left where you usually go right and explore something new."

Mount Jellore

We had a fun 10 km hike to the top of Mount Jellore. It wasn't particularly high (495 metres) but the climb felt epic in the heat.

Highlights included:

• The hiking gang together again.
• Introducing Gavin to his first ever Meet Up group.
• Not having to drive (so relaxing!)
• Losing our way on the way to Mount Jellore, and the relief of finding it when we thought we might need to turn back.
• Spring flowers still out in numbers.
• Some lovely views from the top of Mount Jellore.
• Some great leaps at the top too.
• Lovely people as there always are at South Coast Campers events.
• Some steep hills that required ropes to help us keep our footing.
• A lovely cup of Malaysian tea at the end (thanks Gavin!)
• The deliciousness of a cool drink and an ice cream at the service station on the way home.

 

Enjoying a nice cup of tea at the end (thanks Gavin!)

Our intrepid group

Discomfort (2014)

Total:  2.7