Bonnum Pic trail (Nattai National Park)

Gavin, Srini, Rajesh and I hiked into the Southern Highlands wilderness to camp in a remote spot and get a good view of the rising full moon.

Highlights included...

• Meeting up with Rajesh in Mittagong. It's always wonderful hiking with him.
• Thinking we would buy wine on the way, then discovering wine legally can't be sold in shops on Good Friday. We resigned ourselves to no wine and then close to the start of the hike, we came across The Tertini Winery. Much to our delight, they were open and sold us some beautiful red wine.
• Hiking along a flat track past farmland and through some deep, overgrown bush and then, after an hour or so, arriving at a high ridge with spectacular views. From there, we hiked along the ridge the rest of the way, up and along a range of stunning rock pagodas. 
• Having the whole place to ourselves. We didn't meet a single soul during our entire time in the wilderness.
• The clouds were incredible and with the setting sun, created some wonderful silhouette photos.
• Arriving at the spot where we would camp. Gavin and Srini had an entertaining disagreement over the exact site, but all was soon resolved and we settled in.  It was perfect with panoramic views and an ideal flat rock for making a fire and doing our cooking.
• Watching the sun set and then turning around and watching the full moon rise, while sipping the most delicious wine.
• Dinner was incredible. Tanya had cooked us up lamb ragu that we had with pasta from Harris Farm. We were hungry at it was absolutely divine.
• By now, the wine had started to take effect and we started some deep and meaningful philosophical discussions (well we thought so at the time!) while Srini built a cracking fire.
• Waking up to the beautiful view the next morning and after chilling out a bit, we returned to the car along the rock pagodas, invigorated and inspired.
• A delicious lunch of Mediterranean salad and bread and butter pudding at The Shaggy Cow in Mittagong. 
• All in all a brilliant hike and camp. This is one of my favourite new hikes.

Walking in

Venturing deep into overgrown bush

Getting to the ridge (what a view!) and many amazing rock pagodas

Heading towards the setting sun

Our awesome campsite

What a view from tent!

Chilling out at the camp site, enjoying the view

Drinking wine fresh from the winery, enjoying the sunset and watching the full moon risse

Round the campfire, cooking up sublime lamb ragu, made by Tanya

Lovely flora and fauna

Happy and inspired after our wonderful hike and camp

Lunch at The Shaggy Cow

Video

Gavin on the cover of the prestigious "The Ambassador magazine"

Its wonderful to see him thriving so much in his new business.

Ode to things I love: Ice cream

 

What I love most about ice cream

• The sweetness
• The smooth, creamy consistency
• The refreshing coolness
• The crunchy bits (especially the nuts and chocolate bits)
• The huge variety of forms and flavours (endless choice!)

Most exotic and delicious ice cream ever

• Pistachio ice cream in Damascus market (Syria).  It was crammed with delicious pistachio, mouthwateringly creamy and cost less than a dollar.

Favourite childhood memories of ice cream (where my love affair began!)

• Marco Polo ice cream (especially litchi flavour) in SeaPoint, Cape Town - often combined with a ride on the choo-choo train
• Grandpa Station treating me to a soft serve cream on one of our Muizenberg walks
• Mixing up milk and vanilla ice cream at home as a kid
• Caramel-crisp ice creams (with David Livingston after school)
• Soft-serve with a flake and nuts (I still love this)
• Granadilla lollies at the beach
• Chocnut Sundae at The Spur, Cape Town, with the family
• Cassata ice cream at The Cassanova (one of Gramp's favourites, too)
• Vanilla ice cream at home with chocolate sprinkles
• Ice cream at home with chocolate sauce that hardened on impact

Favourite ice creameries

• Kirsten's Kick-ass Ice cream (Cape Town)
• Messina Ice Cream (Sydney)
• Iced Dream gelato cafe in Houtbay, Cape Town
• Häagen-Dazs ice cream (London)

Favourite homemade ice cream

• Mum's christmas cake ice cream (mega-yum!!)
• Jo’s rum and raisin ice cream  
• Ally's home made mango ice cream
• Eva's home made ice cream

Favourite ice cream flavours in a cup or cone

• Pistachio
• Macadamia and caramel
• Litchi
• White chocolate and raspberry
• Coffee
• Softserve (with a flake and nuts)

Best branded ice cream in a container

• Maggie Beer Burnt Fig and Caramel
• Tin Roof

Favourite ice cream on a stick

• Magnum White chocolate
• Magnum Queensland Mango - with white chocolate
• Gaytime (love the name!)
• Cheesy Jive (also loved by Russell)
• Weis Mango and macadamia 
• Paddlepop Banana
• Paddlepop chocolate

Favourite Ice cream with milk

• Mixing up milk and vanilla ice cream as a kid
• Tashas vanilla milkshake (Constantia Village, Cape Town)
• Botannica iced coffee with ice cream (Sydney)
• Lindt cafe chocolate shake (Sydney)
• Thick shake (Dahab, Egypt)

Favourite pigging out memories

• Gelato eating competition with Russell and Roger in Camps Bay (I won, consuming a litre!)
• Death by sundae with the Davidson (UK)

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Teacher tributes

It feels sad knowing some of your teachers have passed away, especially ones you were close to.  It reminds you of your own mortality and the fact you're now significantly older than many of them were when they taught you!  

I saw tributes on The Old Georgian Union website for the following teachers.

Shirley Allan (Sub B teacher)

• Shirley Allan, passed away on 25 August 2015 in the UK. Shirley taught in the Prep School at St George’s for 24 years from 1974 - 1998. Over the years she set a firm foundation for many Georgians.

Brian Snaddon (Std 7 teacher)

• Brian Snaddon (Staff member 1985 - 1990) passed away 25th Aug 2011 in Cape Town.

Joan Suttle (English teacher, senior school)

• Joan Suttle (Staff 1986 – 1990) passed away on Monday, 29 April 2019. Our sincere condolences to her far-flung family, from many who benefited from knowing her at St George's.
  
  On 30 April of Mrs Joan Suttle who with her husband, Ray, arrived from Zimbabwe to teach at St George's towards the end of 1986. Ray taught Latin here for many years before moving first to Herschel then to Bishops to teach that subject.
  
  During her time at SGGS, Mrs Suttle - known to the pupils as M'am - taught English to Matric candidates. She always demanded the very highest standards of speech, expression and courtesy; her excellent work was reflected in our great success in public-speaking, debating and the annual Eisteddfod, and many will remember her production of 'Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat' and her fortnightly sessions of public speaking in the Hall.
  
  In December 1990, after teaching here for nearly six years, she left to concentrate on her estate agency work, but continued to live at St George's while her husband taught Latin here; he also ran the cricket, the rugby and the squash."

Other teachers I know have passed

• Geoff Burton, Std 8 teacher  (from cancer)
• Ray Suttle
• Jenny Mallet, Std 2 teacher  (in the 1990's after diving)

A walk from Newport Beach to Whale Beach with Sharon, Elwin, Lydia, Shushann and Anush

A beautiful walk that I'd never done before on a gorgeous sunny day after all the rain with some of my favourite people in the world.  A lovely existential discussion with Elwin at lunch and delicious grilled barramundi.  I finished the walk with an invigorating swim on Whale Beach. As Sharon says so beautifully "Life is good!"

 

An afternoon walk with Srini near Cronulla

It had been raining all day but Srini and I braved it anyway in the afternoon and were rewarded with a lovely walk with gorgeous sculptured rocks, a seething ocean and a beautiful twilight.  There was one deluge but it didn't last long. After our walk, we stopped off for sublime charcoal chicken, chips and coleslaw.  I love being flexitarian!