I stepped off at Kokoda Station with my pack snuggly on my back, my two walking poles and an excited, nervous curiosity about the adventure that lay ahead. Eight days later I walked proudly under the arches at the end of the Track, with sore knees, dirt under my nails, and tears in my eyes. This was something special. This was something profound…. It has taken me a week to fully leave the jungle and come back down to earth. I have been processing it all in my mind, craving some quite time to … [Read more...]
3 things I always take travelling
I've never had a St Christopher, but I have my own travel talismans that come with me whenever I go wandering…. My greenstone necklace My greenstone necklace always finds a place around my neck when I head off travelling. I like being recognised as a Kiwi and in many parts of the world people know that a greenstone necklace means New Zealander so it can be a great conversation starter. My greenstone is pretty special to me as it was a gift from good mates on my 30th birthday. It comes with … [Read more...]
Hiking socks
I joined Base Camp Fit on one of their organised hikes during my Kokoda training, and I asked Trainer Chase Tucker to give me some tips about choosing the best hiking socks. Over to you Chase….. Have you been on a trek or hike before and spent hundreds of dollars on the best hiking shoes only to get blisters and finish the day with damp, shrivelled smelly feet? It’s a pretty common occurrence, and it’s because most people assume that all socks are equal, which is definitely not the … [Read more...]
Hiking Mount Greville
***Training for Kokoda and fundraising for the Mates in Construction suicide prevention program*** Donate here When I bought my new hiking boots at the K2 store they gave me a voucher for a free trek with Base Camp Fit. I decided to book one of their more challenging hikes – a 5-6 hour mission up Mount Greville, in the Moogerah Peaks National Park (out Beaudesert way). Somehow I managed to persuade my friend Melissa to come with me, and last Saturday we completed our most … [Read more...]
Preparing for Kokoda
There are now 35 people signed up for the inaugural Mates in Construction Kokoda Trek. Most of us are connected to the construction industry, some of us are super fit, and some of us aren’t. Some of us are experienced hikers, and others (like me) are complete novices. One thing we all have in common is a fierce determination. We have signed up to push ourselves to new limits, to see what we can achieve when we step out of our comfort zones. Game on. I’ve realised pretty quickly that I have … [Read more...]
My next big adventure – Kokoda
I wasn’t especially looking for a big adventure right now, but the gods above must be restless, and so I find myself staring down the barrel of an intense 3 month fitness training program to get fit enough to tackle the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. It’s not something I ever imagined myself doing, but work has invited me to go and write about this adventure and I’m not one to say no to a new travel quest! I hadn’t heard of the Kokoda Trail until I came to live in Australia. It is one … [Read more...]
Backyard bee keeping
I dream of getting a block of land, building a tiny house, planting an orchard, raising chickens and keeping bees. On Tuesday night I had my first insight into the world of bee keeping. I went to a workshop by Inspired Living Events to hear Paul Wood from Brisbane Backyard Bees share his joy for these busy little honey makers. Paul makes and sells a type of bee hive which is suitable for backyard bee keeping, called a Top Bar Hive. Top Bar Hives are based on an ancient Greek design … [Read more...]
Ginger and spice
This weekend I decided to tick a few things off my list with a visit to the Sunshine Coast. If you are a foodie like me, then I recommend a visit to these two places: Red Hot Chilli Pepper, Caloundra I discovered Vicki Taylor and her amazing spices late last year, and was so taken with her amazing cinnamon that I gave packets to my friends and family for Christmas. I decided my trip to the Sunny Coast was going to include a stop at Caloundra so I could check out Vicki’s spice shop – Red … [Read more...]
Flyin’ Fox ice blox – yummy!
Ice blocks. They take me back to childhood, and are hard to beat on a hot summers day, no matter what your age. The other day I met the inspiring woman behind the organic ice block brand Flying Fox Benna and her husband John launched their ice blocks back in 2009. Originally from the UK, they were in awe of the top quality fruit available here in Australia and identified a gap in the market for a range of quality ice blocks. Patience and determination lead to their success (the … [Read more...]
Woodford Folk Festival
It’s official - after my week in yellow gumboots Woodford Folk Festival can chalk up yet another raving fan. What an incredible, wonderful, magical place! Woodford Folk Festival has been running for 28 years in one form or another, originally starting as the Malaney Folk Festival it moved to its current location in 1994. Now billed as the second biggest folk festival in the world behind Glastonbury (someone told me this, I’d love to know if it’s true) it attracts around 120,000 people and … [Read more...]
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