Goodbye GONDORO LA - Hello CONCORDIA.

Well thanks a lot you Taliban suckholes!

You've frightened off all the trekkers, so the limited number of us left who desperately want to take photos of K2 are now concentrated on fewer trips.

The new trek is a bit later - 1st August in Islamabad.
We then fly to Skardu and trek up the Baltoro Glacier to Concordia - the confluence of 3 glaciers. From there it's up the Godwin-Austen Glacier to K2 basecamp and the Gilkey memorial. 25 million photo-opportunities!

Of the 14 highest mountains in the world - those over 8,000 m. - we see five! - K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum 1 (Hidden Peak), Broad Peak & Gasherbrum II.

This is what I'm off to see;

MASOCHISM - I'm sure this Exercise must be doing some good.

So. Another 4 weeks have spun by.
In that time I've managed to do a little more than the previous 4 weeks.

Today sees me on;

Walk 83 km.
Run 49.5 km.
Bike 194.2 km.

I need to get some longer walks in - breaking in a new pair of boots.

GEORGE returns from the Jungle

George arrived back in Brisbane on Sunday night after 10 weeks in Borneo with Operation Raleigh.
He had a great time and made some good friends from UK & Holland.
Here he is - in white top, giving the 'thumbs up' - in a more sober moment during the farewell party in Kota Kinabalu.

Newcastle upon Tyne !!!!

Imagine my surprise to find my old home town, Newcastle, occupying a full page blurb, with photographs, on the front of the Australian's Travel Section.
Apparently, it was the only UK town in a Newsweek poll of the top 8 Creative cities in the world.

Well done it.
Great place to visit. Perhaps not such a great place to live. Culturally it is essential to have a complete devotion to Newcastle United Soccer club.
Weather certainly a drawback - but the history is fabulous.

iPhone as a GPS

Easter was a washout at Maleny - 180 mm. in the last week!

Still managed to give the mulcher a run - it's fabulous.

Found out that the iPhone has a GPS facility so I got Paula to drive me down the hill to the Mooloola Valley and I walked the 10 km. back up.

Plug the phone into the computer and - Hey Presto - fancy pictures on Google Earth.
- the house is on top of the hill.

Another New Toy!

It's incredible what can make a bloke my age happy!
I've invested in a Mulcher.
Now I can chip-up all my cuttings and mulch the garden at Maleny, which gives me a warm inner glow.
It's BRILLIANT!