Flackattack’s Wanderings

Ben Lomand Summit

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

After 10 days going through Dunedin and the Caitlin Coast, I find myself back in Queenstown for the fourth time. Tomorrow I leave again, but I dont see me returning again-at least not on this trip. Next destinations are along the west coast of the south island to see glaciers, beaches and who knows what else. Click the photo and video links for more info about the recently completed weeks. Cheers to all. Howard

Howard at the Mt Luxmore Peak

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

Here in NZ, there are what are known as “The Great Walks”. These are multi-day tramps (hikes) through some of the most amazing areas of the country. Now since I am much more of a day hiker than a through hiker, I figured I would pass on taking a great walk unless it became really convenient. Since booking transportation to the start and finish areas, as well as overnight hut accomodation usually has to be done in advance, and I dont usually book anything that far in advance, I figured I would not get around to a Great Walk. Then an American guy from FL, who I met on my Milford Sound cruise, made it convenient. So with my bluff having been called, I agreed to go on a 3day, 2night, 68KM walk up and over two mountains known as the Kepler Track. It is a circular route out of Te Anau through cool temperate rain forest, before heading up above the tree line and over the mountains. It is clearly the most physically demanding thing I ever challenged myself to do. Happily, the old man came through it with only a few blisters and some tired muscles. Maybe life does begin at 40. Now I am starting to feel better about going hiking in Nepal later in the year. Click on the photo link to see some of the amazingness of my three days tramping. Oh, and there is another link now to my youtube account so you can see another video shot up at the mountaintop. Cheers for now. Howard

Milford Sound

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

I have officially run out of superlatives to describe my first tastes of New Zealand. Amazing, stunning, unbelievable, crazy beautiful, yadda yadda yadda, etc. After 41/2 months raving about Australia, the first 21/2 weeks in NZ have taken my trip to another level. Boatrides in fjords with sheer 500m cliff walls, on alpine lakes with icebergs everywhere, in sea kayaks with sea lions. WOW. Toss in 8 hikes through bush and over mountains, and I am back to being a tourist taking way too many pictures. Oh yeah, check out this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkrLQZ4lCSk. That was another pretty good experience. Hope all is well for everyone reading this.
Cheers. Howard

This post is coming from the FREE internet at Sydney Intl Airport.  After the excitement of NYE, I felt an absolut need for a few days of relaxation.  So it was Manley Beach for 6 days of sun (a couple of days), beach, and some more good cliff walks.  Kind of like a vacation from my vacation.  Now I am heading for 12 weeks in NZ.  First stop Christchurch in the southern island.  I am figuring on about 8 weeks in the south before heading to the north island.  I sure hope the weather is ok, but of course there aint squat I can do about it anyway.  But I sure am not packed out for really cold weather.  Anyway, I hope everyone has a good 2007, and I’ll post some more pix after I take some more pix.  Cheers.

 

Sydney Harbor
Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

2006-What a year. Looking back it is hard to believe that the year started with me in Virginia Beach, VA waiting for the 30 day waiting period to end and my divorce to become final. Then in the months that followed I spread word of my plans to my friends, sold/bartered/gave away/and tossed my possessions, got the house on the market in April, sold it in May, closed on it in June, put in my three weeks notice at RFMD the next day, and spent July living in Steve and Kristy’s basement while sorting the last of my Greensboro business. Then after taking care of my Philly business the fun really started.
I am amazed at how well the past 41/2 months have gone. I have seen and done and experienced more than I have in years. I’ve met more people from more places and learned more about everything than I ever could have living my old life. Travelling alone has also been quite revealing as well. Living the hostel life I am really only as alone as I want to be because there is always someone I could meet to do something. My daily struggle is trying to incorporate the Zen philosophy of living in the present. The shoulduvs, coulduvs and woulduvs of the past are irrelevant, and my future is evolving everyday in ways that I certainly couldnt have predicted a year, a month, or even a week ago. In the final analysis I like to believe that if you are ok with where you are at the present, then there can be no regrets about the past. And I am quite ok.
As 2007 begins I would like to wish everyone a very healthy, happy New Year. Try and make 2007 the best year of your life. I know I will.
Cheers. Howard

Blue Mountains-Katoomba

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

Merry Kwansakah to all. I am spending Xmas eve here in Katoomba in the Blue Mountain Range about two hrs west of Sydney. Due to operator error, I did not book my hostel in Sydney till xmas day, and when I realized my mistake, everywhere I checked was booked. But thats ok. I guess another day in the mountains will have to do.
The past 3 days, I have taken some wonderful hikes. First was a 7hr epic (for me) climb up Mt Solitary. I cant remember the last time I did anything so hard. What a great view, and a pretty nice accomplishment if I do say so myself. The past two days my hiking has been much slower due to the crazy soreness in my legs. Oh well, I’ll get over it.
I did cross the Sydney Harbor Bridge and view the Opera House last Tues when I came into Sydney from Newcastle. Of course I never left the transit center since I was headed for Katoomba. I’ll get plenty of opportunity to see Sydney between xmas and Jan 9th, when I leave for New Zealand.
Newcastle was fun. I was staying with my friend Cathy who I met back in Oct in Adelaide, so I was given an insiders look. A Karin Catt photo exhibit at the museum, a couple of local cafes, a place called Wicked Chocolate where they made wickedly delicious chocolate, two days on three different local beaches, and a good bit of just walking and driving around.
Prior to that I spent a week in Byron Bay and a couple days each in Nimbin and Murwillumbah up in the hills. Climbing Mt Warning-the highest pt on the east coast- was a good hike in Murwillumbah. Nimbin is a little hippie town with a great vibe, and Byron Bay is famous for its beaches and crazy scene. The surf on the east coast of Aus is so much stronger than anything I am used to seeing on the NC, NJ, or FL shorelines back in the States. 8-10 ft swells are pretty routine in this part of the world, and the surfers and bodyboarders love it. I did a bit of bodyboarding, but my little surf lesson back in Agnes Water did not leave me in any condition to try it in these waves.
So thats the current update from the road. I hope everyone reading this will have a fun, safe and exciting holiday season. Cheers
Howard

XMAS Down Under

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

It may not be my concern, but surfin Santa being pulled by dolphins is a great image for december down under. I am also seeing New Years on the beach as a great upcoming image also.

Fraser Island-View from Indian Head Point

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

Greetings from Noosa. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Since my last entry I both volunteered in and then got sucked into the slow life in Agnes Water/1770. First I helped build a fence at Greg and Monica North’s place in Agnes Water. Greg is a very active contributor to the bootsnall travel site which I used to prepare for my trip. I promised to shout him a beer for his help pre-trip when I got to his neighborhood, and then as a matter of convenience we worked out a deal where I helped him in exchange for room and board. He and his wife are very nice, and I also got to meet a few of their friends, hang out at the pub, take a 4wd trip through Eurimbula National Park, and help build a fence to keep Ginger and Mr Fonz from going crazy in the neighborhood. Then I stayed at the Cool Bananas hostel in Agnes for another week. I took my first surf lesson, went sea kayaking, took a mini-motor bike tour and relaxed on the beaches. It was hard to get away, but I finally escaped.
Next it was Fraser Island and a 3d/2n 4WD tour. Fraser is the largest sand island in the world, and the lakes, sandblows, rainforest, swamps and other features were great fun to explore. I posted a few pictures of the place on my flickr account.
Here in Noosa I walked the national park and the river yesterday. Today I am headed for the beach to work on my sunburn after the computer bs is done. Hope all is well with everyone. Again Happy Thanksgiving. Cheers Howard

Solway Lass at Sunset

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

How to celebrate your 40th birthday:
1.Wake up-sure beats the alternative.
2.Wake up on the Solway Lass-a 10 sail, square rigged, 105 yr old tall ship, on which you are enjoying a 3day 3 night cruise around the Whitsunday Islands.
3.Be serenaded by birthday wishes from the other 35 people on board who can not believe that you are actually 40.
4.Snorkle at Blue Pearl Bay-one of the top 5 fringe reefs (Off the beach) in all of Australia. See lots more fish, coral, clams, etc.
5.Enjoy sunset from the beach with your shipmates, a cooler of drinks, and munchies.
6.Dinner, cake and a lashing from the pirate wenches.

Yeah, it sure sucks being me these days.

I am aware that this blog is way behind, and although I may want to post more often, it just aint gonna happen. You have a better chance of keeping up through my flickr.com/photos/flackattack site where I make a few comments whenever I post another dozen pics. As for the past few weeks since I left Cairns, here goes:
A fun trip to the Atherton Tablelands and Yungaburra where I biked, canoed, swam in waterfalls, walked in the rainforest and did not spot any platypus. Then a few days on Magnetic Island where I snorkled, saw koalas in the wild, caught a cold, and then gave it away to others. The Whitsunday Islands sail which was a great 3 days overall. A few days relaxing (as if everything I do isnt relaxing enough) on Great Kepple Island at a very environmentally friendly ecoresort, where it rained on me for the first time in 3 weeks and rained on the island for the first time in 7 weeks-we spent the day at the bar. Right now I am in Agnes Water/1770 doing an unofficial volunteer situation with GoNorth-a very helpful member of the Bootsnall travel community, which I relied on for so many things in the pre-trip months. I am helping him build a fence to keep his dogs from terrorizing the neighbors chickens. I should be here till the end of the week and then I’ll go on a 4WD excursion to Frazier Island for a few days before continuing south. I hope all is well for my family and friends back in the States, and a blog birthday wish to my sister Elise. Cheers everyone. Howard

Howard Hanging Loose

Originally uploaded by Flackattack.

Unbelievable
Howard learning to scuba
Great Barrier Reef