// Blog Archive
What a curious few days
Posted: December 13, 2011
What a curious few weeks it’s been, at once productive yet destructive, enjoyable yet thoroughly frustrating.  While wisdom would suggest I refrain from writing until time and distance deliver perspective, impatience and a desire to cross things off lists compel me otherwise.  So here I sit, on the balcony of the Phnom Penh Foreign Correspondent’s Club (FCC), exploring the medicinal ...Read more

Flickr
Posted: November 28, 2011
Hi there! Just a quick email to let you know that I’ve started uploading images to Flickr.  I am not currently pushing these images through my website, but will be very soon.  Until then, please follow my photostream at www.flickr.com/photos/tegynangel/. I currently have images up from Thailand, Nepal, Laos & Cambodia. Enjoy! Tegyn ...Read more

From VTE to PNH – Part 01
Posted: November 28, 2011
After finding myself drinking single origins at Bendigo’s “Old Green Bean“, I met my Laos/Cambodia group and did some Build-up admin before heading off to MEL airport. We had a 0015 flight to KUL so we were already off to a tiring start. I picked up a MacBook Pro duty free and settled in for the flight up to Malaysia. ...Read more

Crumbly Christchurch – Part 2
Posted: November 5, 2011
Whoa!  So much has happened since my last post that, if I felt at all inclined, I could no doubt draw it out to multiple posts.  Rather, I will try and touch on everything and jot down my stream of consciousness as it gushes in fits and bursts from my Mo-growing, coffee sucking, banana toast-enjoying lips.  Indeed, I’m writing the ...Read more

Crumbly Christchurch – Part 01
Posted: September 21, 2011
Well… I must admit, I’ve been remiss. As a Denis might say, I’ve neglected my public. That said, I’m not sure that anyone would read my blog if I didn’t spam them with auto-alerts and Facebook/Twitter syndication. The last post I wrote was just near the end of the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek, July 2011. Well, that’s not strictly true. I ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 14 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 12
Posted: July 19, 2011
Last day of the trek! Definitely some excited faces in the group this morning. Not only because we’re returning to the relative comfort of Pokhara.  There is a strong sense of achievement amongst the group; fatigue forgotten; aches and pains vague and elusive. It’s always a great feeling to undertake and complete something difficult, and a 12 day trek in ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 13 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 11
Posted: July 19, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380825 Not a great deal to report today.  From Kyumi we continued along the Modi Khola, the day rapidly heating up.  3:30 in the sun and we were definitely ready to arrive at Birethanti.  While great for drying wet tents and damp clothing, there wasn’t much else to do except escape into cold showers and cement-floored dining rooms.  As our ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 12 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 10
Posted: July 18, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380824 Today was fairly straight forward.  We were woken with bed tea at 0700, an hour later than normal, though I couldn’t sleep in and got up a little earlier to read and write.  We had some nice sun early on to dry tents and the like but this soon clouded in.  After breakfast we descended from chomrong to some ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 11 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 09
Posted: July 17, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380823 In a lot of ways today was uneventful and felt like a bit of a slog.  I always find going slower harder than pushing through, but we had our sprained ankled carried like a nepali basket and I swept the group while they pushed on to lunch.  The way the Nepalese carry loads is truly amazing to our backpack-bred ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 10 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 08
Posted: July 16, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380822 Yesterday our ascent to Annapurna Base Camp was through thick fog and rain, reducing visibility to 50-100m.  We tried to make up for this by rising early this morning and walking part of the way up, climbing onto a high ridge looking over the valley that Machapuchare Base Camp occupies. Our 0530 start was rewarded with decent, if still ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 09 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 07
Posted: July 15, 2011
Today’s Log1: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380820 Today’s Log2: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380821 I’m running out of original adjectives!  Perhaps the word of the day should be Surreal?  Certainly that was how it seemed walking up from Deurali to Machapuchare (Fishtail Mt.) Base Camp (MBC) this morning, a feeling that continued during our foggy ascent to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC).  Having more or less run the section between Deurali and MBC ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 08 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 06
Posted: July 14, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380818 Not to rub it in, but really, this trek is fascinating.  Forever changing yet constantly fascinating.  Today was relatively easy, leaving Dobhan a little after 0800 and arriving at Deurali just before lunch.  While we gained 600m and climbed to out highest camp height so far (3244m), the walk seemed relatively straight forward and the altitude gain was gradual. Deurali ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 07 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 05
Posted: July 13, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380817 Like yesterday, we awoke this morning to a spectacular view of Annapurna South and Machapuchare, sharing space with their little brother, Hiun Chuli.  It rained heavily all night and I had to do all sorts of MacGuyversp tricks to stop my damn tent from dripping all over me like a veritable microcosm of the tempest outside. Breakfast was standard ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 06 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 04
Posted: July 12, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380815 Despite being an hour closer to today’s destination, the group decided to leave the wake-up and departure times as 0600 and 0800 respectively, but  spend the afternoon relaxing.  I was woken at 0515 by Raj Kumar, the head Sherpa, telling me that Annapurna South and Machapuchare were framed by a beautiful sunrise.  The morning was clear and warm and ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 05 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 03
Posted: July 11, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380814 Coming out of camp this morning was pretty cruisey, though all clouded-in and rather uninspiring.  We climbed 300m out of Gorapani, before descending through Rhodedendron forest. Lakpa and I were talking along the way, sweeping the stragglers, and we got talking about previous expeditions.  It turns out that he is good mates with Gary Hayes, a friend from World ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 04 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp trek – Day 02
Posted: July 10, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380814 Barely contained, primal energy and inescapable vitality. An environment so palpably alive that you can’t help but sense a presence bordering on cognisant. A feeling that, to spend time anywhere else would be to cheat yourself of a life lived to the fullest. Today was one of the more moving trekking outdoor experiences of my life and certainly one of ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 03 – Annapurna Sanctuary & Base Camp Trek – Day 01
Posted: July 9, 2011
Today’s Log: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move2380811 Driving up into the mountains surround Pokhara (PKR) you really start to get a feel for the size and majesty of the Himalayas.  While in the winter and shoulder seasons Machupuchare is regularly visible, during the monsoon it remains largely surrounded by cloud, only rarely poking it’s head out to say hello to those lucky enough to be ...Read more

Nepal Verde – Part 01
Posted: July 1, 2011
I’m normally incapable of escaping the pedantic pull of writing chronologically.  Sitting here, having just just pulled our rafts off to the side of Nepal’s Tirsuli river, I find the majesty of the situation and the beauty of the last few hours eclipsing the influence of my watch.  We left Kathmandu (KTM) at 0800 this morning and drove for a ...Read more

A quick little update before I head to Nepal
Posted: June 26, 2011
Morning everyone! Just a quick little post to let you all know what’s been going on (and an excuse to use the WordPress app on my new Iconia tablet).  The five weeks since TNF100 seem to have really flown by.  Lots of work with OEG and a few days with Glengarry kept me busy and I followed this up with ...Read more

The North Face 100 – Post-Race Wrap Up
Posted: May 17, 2011
A brilliant venue, a brilliant day, a brilliant event.  Unfortunately a not so brilliant performance on my part!  My knee crapped out and I withdrew at Checkpoint 5 (87km). What follows is a summary of the race and the lessons I learned throughout it. Before I get into the sports-nerd topics, my thanks go out to everyone involved: AROC, the organisers; the ...Read more

The North Face 100 2011 – Pre Race Ramble
Posted: May 13, 2011
Well despite all reports, there’s a heat wave pushing through Katoomba at the moment. It’s a balmy 5.5 degrees Celsius and won’t drop much below 2 or 3 degrees tonight. Tomorrow the forecast is for a comfortable range of 3-9 degrees C and clear, with light 20 knot winds. Such are the conditions for the 2011 The ...Read more

Relaxing in Vietnam – Part 3/3
Posted: April 21, 2011
I left off having just arrived back into Hanoi.  After a couple of nights there we took the train as planned, getting off in Hue.  Hue is roughly central, to the North of Ho Chi Minh City and to the South of Hanoi.  Heading south the temperature creep toward the top of the mercury, and the difference was very noticeable. ...Read more

Relaxing in Vietnam – Part 2
Posted: April 9, 2011
Hi all, Welcome to Part 2 of my report from Vietnam.  We’re now past the half-way mark and everything is going extremely well.   Everyone is healthy and enjoying themselves, though understandably tired and a little sore in places after our trekking phase.  We’re back in Hanoi now, safe and sound and resting up before we head south to Hue for ...Read more

Blog Maintenance – Subscribe/Unsubscribe feature now fixed
Posted: April 8, 2011
Hi everyone, Firstly my apologies for the redundant blog updates some of you may have been receiving of late!  It took me a few days to realise that I’d been resending notifications of blog posts over 12 months old.  I’ve now fixed the unsubscribe link and have also added a subscribe link.  These can both be found on the main menu. ...Read more

Relaxing in Vietnam – Part 1
Posted: April 4, 2011
Welcome to the first post from Vietnam!  So far the trip has been an absolute pleasure.  I’m over here with a co-ed group of kids – 14-17yrs old -  and two teachers (one each male/female) from a small public college north of Melbourne.  They’re a friendly bunch, with no medical or behavioural issues and a good balance of personalities. After flying ...Read more

Welcome to the new version of tegynangel.com
Posted: March 8, 2011
Hey everyone, Welcome to the first syndicated post in my blog.  What does that mean? You’re on my mailing list! Lucky you I’ve recently rebuilt my website and shifted the focus more toward my blog.  As part of this change, I’ve added a feature that allows for emails to be sent out automatically to those on my mailing list ...Read more

Back in KTM and back to Oz
Posted: March 6, 2011
Hey! Pokhara is great.  I spent about 10 days there doing… well… not a lot!!!  My normal routine was: get up, eat breakfast, use a computer, eat lunch, go for a run, eat dinner, go to bed; repeat. I managed to run 80km this week, and a good few kms last week, rebuild my website and read a few books.  All ...Read more

Chilling out in Pokhara
Posted: February 27, 2011
Hey crew, Well if you’ve been checking my site (hahaha, no, I don’t actually think I have anyone who manually checks it, and I know for a fact that the subscription system isn’t up and running yet…) you’ll have seen that i’ve been making some changes. Firstly, a bit of an up date.  I’m in Pokhara, Nepal.  I’ve been here a week ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 19
Posted: February 20, 2011
Today’s Trekking Log! Today’s Running Log! In some way or another, today would be our last day on the trail.  We started early, leaving Tal by 0700.  We arrived in Chyamche and continued on to Jagat for an early lunch.  We finished lunch and left Jagat by 1230, no doubt the earliest we had ever finished lunch!  We continued on to Syange, ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 18
Posted: February 19, 2011
Awesome walk today.  Mostly downhill with the ambient starting to increase.  The wind coming down the valley meant the wind chill was a little cold, but still very pleasant.  There were some amazing views of Manaslu during the walk but I’m finding the slow pace frustrating and can only think of running. The plan for the day was to stop and ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 17
Posted: February 18, 2011
Good day today.  All down hill made the going easy, though the ruts cut into the snow pack by countless feet and hooves made foot placement a little awkward at times.  It took us only 2 hours to descend from Humde to Pisang, pretty solid going.  It was a little over 3hrs to Dhukur Pokhari and 4hrs 20mins down to ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 16
Posted: February 17, 2011
On work trips, walking at the pace of the group is part of the job description.  However, it can get mighty frustrating at times on long personal trips.  Oh well! We slept very well, with exhaustion no doubt to thank.  Nature’s call only woke me once, around 0530, meaning I got a solid night’s sleep.  I was famished when I woke ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 15
Posted: February 16, 2011
We woke this morning to even more snow, but it was still relatively warm and there was little to no wind about.  We packed quickly and I shoveled more snow therein shaking off any remaining morning chill.  Having already packed a big landing zone yesterday, this didn’t take too long.  I geared up – overpants, skins, thermals, shell jacket, gaiters, ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – 14
Posted: February 15, 2011
We awoke at 0600 or 0700, pretty sure by now that the only place we’d be going is down – if we went anywhere at all!  We hung around in ignorance for a while until the call of nature overpowered the force of the blizzard and Stace left the sanctuary of the tent.  She spoke to Sandesh and made a ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 13
Posted: February 14, 2011
Well… We’re back in Letdar safe and sound!  It’s been a very busy two days.  I didn’t take my Journal to high camp so I’ve got some catching up to do. Yesterday we awoke to some ominous weather sitting on the Annapurnas to our West.  We packed up our gear and tents and set off regardless, eager to give it a ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 12
Posted: February 13, 2011
**REST DAY** Sleep height: 4850m. Chulu West Base Camp (CWBC) Some high cirrus, windy and dusty as per yesterday, generally warm and sunny. MORNING ENTRY Rested today.  Ate a late breakfast of pancakes, muesli, some omelette and hot, sugary, black tea.  Cleaned out my tent, removing all my kit and trying to rid myself of the dust fines.  Discovered how fragile my new Thermarest ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 11
Posted: February 12, 2011
Walk time: 6hrs 11mins.  Distance: 3.4km. Ascent: 854m. Descent: 822m. Sleep height: 4850m. Chulu West Base Camp (CWBC) – High Camp – CWBC Warm, clear morning deteriorating throughout the day.  Very windy and a large amount of high cirrus coming in off the Annapurna Massif in the afternoon. Today was a difficult day.  We got up and had a decent breakfast and left ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 10
Posted: February 11, 2011
Walk time: 4hrs.  Distance: 4.2km. Ascent: 1175m. Descent: 530m. Sleep height: 4850m. Letdar – Chulu West Base Camp (CWBC) – Rock Band – CWBC Cool, clear day today with wind up high. Left Letdar 0915 this morning and followed the path that I had descended yesterday.  I slept well, and warm, last night, though my rehydration session yesterday afternoon had me up ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 9
Posted: February 10, 2011
Walk time: 4hrs 15mins.  Distance: 8.25km. Ascent: 660m (1432m). Descent: 50m (764m). Sleep height: 4200m. Manang – Letdar Little bit of cloud coming in over the Annapurnas, but otherwise clear and beautiful. Good height gain today.  We had a slow and steady climb out of Manang up along the trail to Letdar, passing through Ghunsang and Yak Kharka along the way.  The trail ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 8
Posted: February 9, 2011
Walk time: 6hrs 8mins.  Distance: 8.6km. Ascent: 1284m. Descent: 1263m. Sleep height: 3540m. Yet another beautiful day, though there was a bit of wind while we pushed up the summit ridge of Yak Whacking. Today was our “Active Acclimatisation” day! (So what was yesterday…?)  We had sweet black tea at 0630 and a 0700 breakfast before hitting the trail at 0815.  From ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 7
Posted: February 8, 2011
Walk time: 3hrs 37mins.  Distance: 18.2km. Ascent: 1015m. Descent: 970m. Sleep height: 3540m. Clear as a bell this morning! The sun is shining; hardly a breath of wind and the mountains look spectacular. So-called rest day today. Hahaha. Woke at 0730 and washed some clothes in a bucket.  Essence of week-old sock.  Stace and I headed up to hotel Yeti to have ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 6
Posted: February 7, 2011
Walk time: 5hrs 22mins.  Distance: 17km. Ascent: 545m. Descent: 159m. Sleep height: 3540m. Dhukur Pokhari – Humde – Manang   I had another challenging night last night.  I only ate a small dinner, some biscuits and hot chocolate but still felt bloated.  This rumbling, gurgling, bloated feeling is quite a common symptom of gastro. Joy.  In an ill conceived attempt to bolster my ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 5
Posted: February 6, 2011
Day: 5. Walk time: 6hrs 50mins. Distance: 18.2km. Ascent: 944m. Descent: 391m. Sleep height:3240m. Timang – Taleku – Dhukur Pokhari Clear and cool today When you buy refrigerated Miso soup paste in the supermarket, it sometimes comes in a small plastic satchel. When you mix it with boiling water it doesn’t form a homogenised colour or consistency as tomato might. ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 4
Posted: February 5, 2011
Day: 4. Walk time: 5hrs 41mins. Distance: 11.4km. Ascent: 1074m. Descent: 132m. Sleep height:2600m. Tal – Dharapani – Timang Nice and clear today, though the weather did start to cloud a little in the afternoon. Woke today feeling a bit of sinus congestion. Nothing too major but enough to make feel a little run down. Still felt the same at lunch time and had ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 3
Posted: February 4, 2011
Day: 3. Walk time: 4hrs 25mins. Distance: 9.85km. Ascent: 844m. Descent: 230m. Sleep height:1700m. Syange – Chyamche – Tal Another beautifully clear day. Today was a day of spectacular waterfalls and sheer cliff faces, as well as some utterly ridiculous road building! We pushed out of Syange walking along part of the new road, slowly going height until we reached Jagat. As we gained ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 2
Posted: February 3, 2011
Day: 2. Walk time: 5.5hrs.  Distance: 14km. Ascent: 710m. Descent: 400m. Sleep height:1100m. Bhulebhule – Bahundanda – Syange Crystal clear day today! Good walk today. We got our first view of some real mountains this morning, with Manaslu (8156m) popping into view. While the real summit wasn’t visible it was still pretty impressive to wake up to such an impressive sight. On the 29th ...Read more

Chulu West Expedition – Winter 2011 – Day 1
Posted: February 2, 2011
Day: 1. Walk time: 2.5hrs.  Distance: 9km. Ascent: 253m. Descent: 176m. Sleep height: 830m. Kathmandu – Besisahar – Bhulbhule Bit hazy but otherwise great weather. Seven hours squished into a Toyota Hiace Van with Stacey, eleven Nepalis and a whole load of gear and miscellanea.  And so began our expedition.  The trip took us through the winding streets of Kathmandu and out into the ...Read more

From India – Part 2
Posted: February 1, 2011
Sorry so little contact over the last month – very little time spent in front of a computer compared to previous expeditions! So the trip was awesome! I left you last time with plans to visit the Taj – sunrise was spectacular and the photos equally so From there we headed to Delhi catch a train north to Kathgodom from ...Read more

From India – Part 1
Posted: January 12, 2011
Just a very quick update to let you know where i’m at!!! So far the Subcontinent has been frightfully comfortable… weird. I think this is for a couple of reasons. Firstly… i’ve been here before. Secondly… because we can watch each other’s back. I found the last time quite challenging due never being able to relax – this has been ...Read more

My thoughts on training (for now…)
Posted: December 27, 2010
I’ve recently started training intensely again for The North Face 100, and this has prompted me to have a bit of a think about my training and try and distill my current approach into something intelligible. You guys are on the list because I’d value your input or feel you might be interested! Situation: I’ve always been plagued by over training ...Read more

Life in Laos (and Thailand) – Part 5
Posted: November 7, 2010
U N B E L I E V A B L E!!! I swear that the combination of awesome beaches, extraordinary climbing, surreal lost-world scenery, warm people, an amazingly vibrant international community and cheap living costs might make Railay and Ton Sai on the Krabi peninsula one of the best places i’ve ever been. It rates in my memory with Patagonia, ...Read more

Life in Laos (and Thailand) – Part 4
Posted: November 2, 2010
Just another quick little update. Well what can I say – Railay beach is absolutely spectacular! So much better than i’d hoped for! I’m back in Bangkok now having just said goodbye to the group as they passed through Passport Control. Tomorrow morning I head back to Railay and Ton Sai to climb for 5 days. Back in Australia on the ...Read more

Life in Laos (and Thailand) – Part 3
Posted: October 27, 2010
Hello everyone, Another little update on life in Laos and Thailand. I left off in Luang Prabang, Laos. This was an awesome place and definitely one I’d be happy to visit again! We were all a little unsure of what our boat would be like, but it turned out to be absolutely brilliant! It was quite long, perhaps 50m long and 5m wide? ...Read more

Life in Laos (and Thailand) – Part 2
Posted: October 18, 2010
Just another little update on life in Laos. My last email finished with plans to head out to Nong Khiaw. This we did in a rather squishy truck with bench seats on either side of the tray – at least the air con was good! However, whatever discomfort we experienced along the way was made up for by the beauty of ...Read more

Life in Laos (and Thailand) – Part 1
Posted: October 9, 2010
Just a quick little email to let you know how things are going. Our flight ex Mel to Bangkok went fine – mostly on time, relatively painless and uneventful. In BKK we met our Thailand In Country Agent and took a train and then a taxi to the infamous Khao San road, where we spent the night. Day 2 ...Read more

Briefly from Borneo – Part 3
Posted: July 16, 2010
Hello Everyone, Well this should be my last missive from Malaysia – A long time between drinks, I know, but it’s been an interesting trip. After we got back from Mt Kinabalu we flew to Miri, in the province of Sarawak. After a late check in (we got in at 11 then had a brief for a couple of hours) and a ...Read more

Briefly from Borneo – Part 2
Posted: July 3, 2010
Hi Everyone, Well first things first – Mount Kinabalu is fantastic! I wont get around to posting pics for a while, but for those of you who know nothing about it, it is a 4095m mountain sticking up out of the Jungle. The mountain and its surroundings are among the most important biological sites in the world, with over 600 species ...Read more

Briefly from Borneo – Part 1
Posted: June 30, 2010
How’s life in freezing Australia? Well that’s not something I thought I’d ever say, but after Borneo I’m sure even the sunshine coast would seem somewhat frigid right now. Pat & Jim, did you get home safe and sound? We arrived here safe and sound without a hitch and you’ll be happy to know that I’ve not gone anywhere near ...Read more

The North Face 100 (TNF100) – 2010
Posted: May 23, 2010
Hey everyone, The North Face 100 was a blast! 100km, over 7000m of combined ups/downs (elevation change), and proof that 4mths of good solid training (of course on top of a reasonable base fitness) using Phil Maffetone’s training techniques works. I came in in 16:31:19 – a touch slower than i’d hoped for (16hrs) but still pretty happy. of 553 finishers of the 100km, ...Read more

What does the Tat mean?
Posted: March 11, 2010
Confront Your Morality: It is necessary to constantly challenge and face up to the reality of those things we take for granted, consider normal or irrevocable… It is necessary to question our system of ethics, re-evluate our moral and philosophical standpoints. All the while we should seek balance, perfection and objectivity through upheaval and change. Confront: Challenge, ...Read more

Teachable moments from the Orange Half Marathon
Posted: March 9, 2010
Yesterday (Sunday 07Mar10) I ran my first race since leaving High School (and maybe the first running race I ever entered voluntarily!).  I don’t count Wild Endurance 2009 (2009 Photos) because it wasn’t really a race and we certainly didn’t view it as one!  Yesterday’s race was the Half Marathon at the Orange Colour City Running Festival in Orange, NSW. ...Read more

Lucky Me!
Posted: February 21, 2010
Well I wasn’t going to run today, but managed to squeeze just shy of 8km and some abs.  Now for a 4hr car trip. woot woot! WEEK REPORT i’m away from my computer, but I think this is accurate… Week Ending: 21Feb10 Duration: 17:24:18 Distance: 103.14km Energy: 6238kcal HR Avg: 115 HR Max: 154 HR Low: 56 ...Read more

A week at work
Posted: February 20, 2010
What a tiring week!  Monday and Tuesday I was helping a stone mason build a dry stack wall.  I trained Monday, putting down 8.5km (15WU – 30MEP – 15CD) and followed that with 20mins weights and 5mins Abs.  No training tuesday.  I woke at 5:20 on Wednesday and put down a solid 11.5kms, (15WU-40 MEP – 30CD) before starting work. ...Read more

So much free time!
Posted: February 17, 2010
From October 2008 until February 2010 I was enrolled in an Australian TAFE Certificate III / IV in Outdoor Recreation.  Having now completed my pen-ultimate Bushwalking assessment (one more Client Guiding assessment to come in Kosiuszko NP next week) and all of my written work, i’m in a position I haven’t been in for a while – I have free ...Read more

Moving on
Posted: January 20, 2010
Rest day yesterday – it was scheduled but also good to give my right EDL (Extensor Digitorum Longus - reference) rest – seems jumping from 0km to 72km p/week is going to hurt. Today I didn’t run but went for a pretty decent bush walk at 2hrs 37mins, 730kcal and 1098m combined ascent/descent. See how the EDL feels in the morning before I make ...Read more

Training Report – 17Jan10
Posted: January 17, 2010
Well first things first.  I got back from Peru and found out that, in my absence, my aunt spoke with the local council and their response was pretty clear.  Essentially, I had intended to build in a pre-existing clearing between two patches of remnant Robertson rain forest (as formerly mentioned).  However, because this species of rain forest is threatened, and ...Read more

Positively Peru – Part 5
Posted: December 29, 2009
Well a nice long bus trip saw us hit Puno on Boxing Day evening. Yesterday we visited the famous floating islands of Uros before a long boat trip out to Amantani Island where we spent the night with three local families. This morning we took another boat to Taquile Island where we had lunch and then a very quick dip ...Read more

Positively Peru – Part 4
Posted: December 25, 2009
Well we’re back in Cusco and about to depart again.  We finished the trek without any serious issues and wow… what a place! Very stunning. And, unlike the Inca trail, we didn’t see another westerner the whole time. High mountain passes, raging rivers, glacial lakes and valleys etc – I can’t wait to review the photos! We got to our hot springs ...Read more

Positively Peru – Part 3
Posted: December 19, 2009
Hi guys, Another in a series of brief updates We finished up at the community project and our health issues seem to have leveled out. The guys and girls did an absolutely awesome job with Peru´s Challenge, building an outside eating place in a community school. The ground was leveled, a dirt bank retained, almost body depth holes dug and poles ...Read more

Positively Peru – Part 2
Posted: December 14, 2009
Hi again guys, Just a quick update before we head out to Quilla Huata, where we will spend 4 days helping to build a communal area in a local village. I´m all well, with the exception of my gastro having turned into a flu. Woot Woot! People have enjoyed the first phase and have been busily shopping and getting to know Cusco. Yesterday ...Read more

Positively Peru – Part 1
Posted: December 13, 2009
Hi Everyone, Well after the longest transit in history (3.5 hours to AKL + 1hr transit + 14-odd hours to SCL + 9hr transit + 3.5hr flight to Lima + 9hr transit + 1.5hr flight to Cusco = approx 42hrs) we arrived safe and sound in Cusco. We checked into an awesome little Hosteria only a block or two back from ...Read more

Running with Rudolf
Posted: November 1, 2009
Oooffff. Hard week. I spent the week leading an outdoor education program (reference) with quite a challenging group of young (11-12yr old) Waldorf-Steiner kids. Tiring to say the least! Rewarding though, and my first group to take me up on my offer of going for a morning run! Though they weren’t necessarily morning marathons, a 20-30min/2km jog followed by 2-3km ...Read more

A quick note
Posted: October 26, 2009
Why are cold rainy days thought of as miserable, I wonder… I love them!  That said, it does make working outside just that little bit annoying.  Of particular interest is the stream of water that runs down your sleeve when your working above your head.  I got up nice and early this morning (somehow my phone clock was an hour ...Read more

A floral segue
Posted: October 25, 2009
Well I checked my inbox last night and found an email from Ebay.  ”You won this item on eBay: House…” well gee, that was unexpected.  Yes I bid on the item so had some idea of what might happen, but thought that there was no way I would actually win the thing!  How much did I win it for? $1000.00? ...Read more

Suspicions confirmed
Posted: October 20, 2009
Today i confirmed some long-held suspicions.  Firstly, a bite from an Australian Meat Ant (Iridomyrmex purpureus - reference) does, indeed, hurt. Secondly, building a house sandwiched between two tracts of remnant rain forest (as I am) means that I will doubtlessly be sharing my Grove with a great number of creatures, whether they be Wombats (reference), satin Bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus - reference), ...Read more

Photos on flickr