WART 2011- Contagious, Curable, Come find out........

Well earlier this year as I traveled in Alaska I met a bubbly lively personality living in Alaska. I posted on a hiking forum to meet other outdoorsy people and Sarah quit her job, picked me up in her truck and we had some great spontaneous Alaskan outdoorsy adventures.  In true typical Sarah style she has been travelling without much in the way of plans and emailed to see if I had any spare time off before xmas, yes was my response and hence WART 2011 was born......

WART (West Australian Road Trip),  my first time down the South of WA, we set off  in "Roo" my silver Subaru liberty, towards the Stirling Ranges on Saturday.  After calling into a woolshed (though no wool for Sarah to buy) we did get some top tips on where to start our adventure.  The adult playground at Katanning was our first stop, huge slides and lots of equipment to climb all over we had a great time expending the energy we had built up after sitting in the car for too long.  We had to make a stop in the town of Wagin to see the big ram but quickly then continued onto the Stirling Ranges.

Arriving without too much light left, we couldn't do the hike we had first planned so got the tent set up then headed to see the Lily windmill a 16th century dutch windmill replica.  When the canola fields are in full flower I've been told the site is beautiful with the Stirling ranges as a backdrop.  We chased the owners dog around in circles and a chance for some photography.  Clear skies meant we could fall asleep to the twinkle of the stars overhead of our tent as no inner was needed, I love being out in the country....Our plan was set for the next morning to get up before sunrise and hike.

 No alarm was needed Sarah was our body clock alarm always waking up before the needed time.  We were the only ones to be up at Bluff Knoll (1099m high 6km return hike).  The hike was quicker and easier than most hikes I"m used to, with some amazing track work making it accessible to even the most unfit/uncoordinated of hikers.  Still some great views and we had successfully been to the top of WA's highest mountain.

Next stop was onto Toolbrunup (2nd highest mountain 1052m, 4km return), a much more primitive hike like we are used to involving rock hopping and a very minor scramble up to the summit. Again we had the track to ourselves and took the opportunity to train the moths to come out like a plague.....ewwwww  So by lunch time we had completed both peaks and my legs were a little shakey but it felt so good to be exploring WA.

We then drove onto Mt Barker and were lucky enough to stay with my friend Jo's parents Kathy and Kevin who own The Banksia farm, Jo had her wedding here recently but I had to work so missed out on her special day. It was awesome to check out some local wineries and really get to know her parents over a good aussie BBQ.  The farm is famous for having all the different types of banksia's and it is such a wonderful retreat a place you can just stop, breath and be......

We hit Albany the next day and started our coast road trip back towards Perth over the next few days.  Stopping lots to swim in the southern ocean, we hiked the local mountains but it appears in WA they have to make the mountains extremely accessible.... I mean to the point that you could push a wheel chair.  We enjoyed the town of Denmark as it was smaller and a favourite spot for us was elephant rock, where we could DWS (deep water solo climb up all these awesome granite boulders) had we had more time we could have easily spent a full day in this one spot alone. We even got down to Augusta the most south western point of WA where the Indian and Southern oceans meet. We climbed a 60m tall tree using just metal rungs, which gave me my "do one thing a day that scares me" well and truly

We were spoilt with a mixture of big gum trees and farm fields, to wild rocky ocean shores and a beautiful mountain range. Every day brought new fun challenges and experiences that come when your both keen outdoorsy adventure types.  We finished our trip with a dinner out with my housemates, Sarah and my friend Rich.  I had a lot of lovely WA wine and well was ummmmm rather happily drunk.... To wake up the next day to my work xmas party 8:30am champagne breakfast start.... and to fly out at midnight back for family xmas on the Gold Coast..... Drunk over the past two days and still going strong.........

Thanks Sarah for a fantastic time away and WART 2011 will live on....... Who else wants to join in on the contagious WART trip in 2012???? You know you do :-)

Tasmania - a place where you can find and lose yourself and smile the whole way through

It had been 3 1/2 years since I'd made it back to Tassie, the place in Australia that feels like home for me, despite not having any family living there.  I discovered and learned more about my self in thoes 2 1/2 years of living there and it helped shape my direction to the outdoorsy traveller I am today :-)

The weather was variable  but that's Tassie for you, but seeing my friends and spending time with them was extra special. I wasn't exactly sure how I would feel when I returned but am happy to report it really still has captured my heart......

Lisa - one of the closest and loveliest friends I have

wine tastings and berry picking yes please

 

Hiking with Ali and Caitlyn and mans best friends

A few night BBQ's in lower than 10deg and its summer brrrrr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner and Jeramie and Amanda's to catch up with climbing friends and meet little Lucy

Whether its to be the place I live now or in the future only time will tell, but I'm happy in knowing I could happily make a life for myself there if that's the way this path takes me. For now though my journey continues in WA as I live and work as a physio for the miners flying in and out. All very interesting and lots and lots of learning and growth within my profession going on. In fact I've had so many people ask what its like to be a physio in the mines that I"m putting together a little video of it so just watch this space.......

Home in North Perth

Give me a home among the gum trees.....

Australian Slang:

Barbie : barbecue (noun) 
Beaut, beauty : great, fantastic 
Billabong : an oxbow lake cut off by a change in the watercourse. Billabongs are usually formed when the course of a creek or river changes, leaving the former branch with a dead end.
Bloke : man, guy
Bottle-o : liquor shop (originally a man with hessian bags going around picking up beer bottles in the 50's and 60's)
Chokkie : chocolate 
Chunder : vomit
Dipstick : a loser, idiot 
Esky : large insulated food/drink container for picnics, barbecues etc.
Fair dinkum : true, genuine
G'Day : hello!
Galah : fool, silly person. Named after the bird of the same name because of its antics and the noise it makes.
Lollies : sweets, candy
No worries! : Expression of forgiveness or reassurance (No problem; forget about it; I can do it; Yes, I'll do it)
Porky : Lie, untruth (pork pie = lie)
Reckon! : you bet! Absolutely!
you little Ripper! : Exclamation of delight or as a reaction to good news
Sheila : a woman
Stubby : a 375ml. beer bottle
XXXX : pronounced Four X, brand of beer made in Queensland


Welcome back to Australia..... The accent is thick, the sun is shining, everyone is laid back and my family and friends are here ready for lots of hugs and laughter.  I arrived back on the Friday to the Gold Coast and had my nephew Ethans 1st Birthday party on the Saturday.

 Lots of happy babies playing, a typical Aussie BBQ dinner, family all gathered together and I was feeling jet lagged.  With only two days recovery I started my new job at the Gold Coast Hospital on the Monday, talk about straight back into it, no time to be nervous having had a year and half off from being a physio, would I remember what to do?

My evenings have been quiet for me, after work, but I'm having fun being an Auntie and helping with the feeding, bathing and playing with Ethan.  I got my lower back x-rayed because the pain has been still really bothering me and it turns out I have a suspected fractured S3-4 (my sacrum bone).  So the pain is immense, my first broken bone in 28 years!  I've been some what frustrated not being able to exercise, that I went for 2 runs over the weekend silly girl as I felt like I could barely move after them, despite having that  awesome familiar feeling of 'the buzz' after a good exercise session.  On a positive note I also got tested for Coeliac disease (gluten intolerant) and I've found out I'm not, so it means I guess I'm just intolerant to wheat and can take that option without worrying about being as strict as I'd need to be as a Coeliac.

To Ski or not to Ski? That is the question

My cousin Chris and his girlfriend Jess had invited me to a ski trip with them in Victoria, Aus while I was still living in Canada. Knowing Aussie skiing would be nothing compared to Canada, I was still super keen to get out for a ski with them both. I had it all booked before I hurt myself and was really disappointed to know I really shouldn't be skiing, one fall on my backside would be seriously painful and a stupid chance to make the injury worse.  It turns out that weekend was the long weekend for the Gold Coast so I changed my flight and flew in to have the evening with Micky J, Jimma and his girlfriend before we drove at midnight down to the mornington peninsula.

I spent the Friday at my Grandmas place, it was lovely to see her doing so well after a serious period of illness, when I really wasn't sure if I was ever going to get to see her again. We releaxed on her porch in the sun chatting as friends from the village would call by to say hello.  I was able to have dinner with my Auntie and Uncle before Chris, Jess and myself jumped in the Troppie (3 seater) poor Jess in the middle and had a road trip to Mt Buller. 

To Ski or not to ski? 1st weekend of Spring........

It was just the 5 of us staying at the cabin, I'd been  and stayed here once before back in 2004 so was bringing back memories. Adrian, Jocelyn, Chris, Jess and myself couldn't make a decision, to ski or not to ski? I knew I shouldn't be but didn't want to be the reason we didn't go, what made the decision was the supposed lack of snow and our alarm clock going off in the morning and no one jumping out of bed with excitement to get up.

Instead we went hiking up to Mt Sterling, which is where the cross country ski tracks are and spotted the lack of snow on Mt Buller! good decision.  The hike was lots of fun, snow ball fights, a kind of snow man and a decidant lunch in one of the cabins escaping the strong wind from the summit.

Mt Buller - lack of snow!!!

We enjoyed our evening with a roaring fire, lots of yummy food, chocolate and dessert and fun board games with some yummy cider. I've been missing good cider in Canada.  Another relaxed late start on the Sunday and we only made it for a short stroll by the river in area but of course had time for yet more yummy food.

This weekend away was so lovely, it really felt like a holiday, and I really appreciated being included in such fun times..... As I've been trying to make a big decision on a unique exciting new job offer, the support and advice from this weekend away really helped......

Decision made......