KIPPERS ! - Got some at last.

You know how it is when you get a yearning for something - when you can't get what you want it becomes an obsession.

Well, for the last year or two (since I last had them for breakfast in the Victoria Hotel, Bamburgh), kippers have been my obsession.

They disappeared off the culinary radar in Brisbane. However the internet allowed me to track down an importer and our friend Trent at
GLOBAL FINE FOOD

- our local deli - got in 15 kg. of the little beauties. I took about half of that pile off his hands.

So, it's KIPPERS FOR TEA tomorrow. YIPPEE!

Mon. 21st Sept. Ascent of Mt. Tibrogargin.

At 364 m., 1194 ft. it is the 2nd highest of the Glasshouse Mountains just north of Brisbane.
This morning I had free so started the climb at 5.40 and was back down at the car by 7.30.
However, this volcanic 'plug' is much more of a climb than a walk - and hence a lot of fun.

Sat. 12th Sept. Brisbane Fireworks

Brisbane Festival has it's 'Riverfire' night each year.
Paula, Jake & I went to friends Tina & John who live in the ideal spot to watch.

Now beardless (me I mean) we watched the final flypast by the RAAF's aging F-111 fighters who fly low burning a ton of fuel before shooting straight up into the night sky.



The evening ended with the sartorial highlight of catching Tina in her washing up gloves.

Fri.21st Aug. Day 21. Tour of Islamabad & Taxila

A bus tour of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Taxila.
This taken at the Faisal Mosque - largest mosque in the country - modern and not very pretty.

This photo was taken at the spot where Benazir Bhutto was murdered on 27th Dec. 2007.

We enjoyed being tourists to the mosques and museums.

Half the group left for the UK the next day - the 22nd.

I had 2 full days of Ramadan to live through - VERY quiet - before eventually arriving back in Australia on the 25th.

AN EXCELLENT TRIP. TO BE REPEATED WITH MY COUSIN PHIL WITHIN 3 YEARS.

Thu.20th Aug. Day 20. Skardu to Islamabad

Breakfast in the garden at the K2 Motel, Skardu. By 9.30 we heard that our flight to Islamabad was actually going to happen - thus avoiding a 2 day drive down the Karakoram Highway.

Incredible view of Nanga Parbat -9th Highest mountain in the world.

Wed.19th Aug. Day 19. Askole to Skardu

For the drive back to Skardu we had not-enough jeeps and not-enough diesel
By getting past the landslide an hour out of Askole we met up with our missing jeeps -
- although we walked across.
Diesel ran out and after a short tow we found that a mixture of kerosene and engine oil is a perfectly good diesel substitute that got us over 120 km.
Back to Skardu and the K2 Motel. First shower in quite a while.

Tue.18th Aug. Day 18. Panmah River to Askole

A long day's walk - past the terminal moraine of the Biafo Glacier.
Excellent lunch stop right next to the river.
Then into Askole where we had a look round the village.
After tea, Jules, Paul & I went over the bridge to Korphe to see the school that Greg Mortensen sponsored and as described in '3 Cups of Tea'.

Mon.17th Aug. Day 17. Paiju to Panmah River campsite

A wet day with river crossings. Eventually back to the Panmah River campsite (excellent sit-down toilets) overlooked by Bakhor Das.

Sun.16th Aug. Day 16. Liligo to Paiju

Further on down the glacier past the Cathedral Group and the Trango Towers - seen here.
The glacier more chaotic in it's lower stretch.
After a week of clear blue skies the weather began to change for the 'wetter'.
At Paiju the other group camping there was an expedition of David Breashears'. He was travelling up the glacier taking new photos to compare with those taken in 1909 & 1911.
David made the Imax Movie on Everest in 1996 documenting the storm that killed many. He has summited Everest 5 times!

Sat.15th Aug. Day 15. Gore 1 to Liligo

Sunrise over Gasherbrum IV.
Ice pinnacles looking back up the Baltoro.
Always ice underfoot and stupendous crevasses.
Lunch stop at Urdukas.
Back to the rubble campsite at Liligo. There was a stream running through the campsite. Washing of shirts & socks was done!

Fri.14th Aug. Day 14. Concordia to Gore 1

We begin the long haul back down the 60+ km. of the Baltoro glacier.
Excellent crevasse with Baltoro Kangri (Golden Throne) 7312 m., 23990 ft behind.
A pack train of horses passing in front of Mustagh Tower. These animals are used to supply the many army camps in the area - the Kashmir issue with India still going on.
Our Camp at Gore 1 with it's great view of Masherbrum.
Avalanche coming down the Biarchedi Group.

Thu.13th Aug. Day 13. Concordia

Up at 3.00 am for a 3.30 start playing on the ice. We were meant to try and get across a river towards K2 but it was a bit more tricky than anticipated so we backed off and did a different walk later in the day.

Karim guided 4 of us up the Baltoro towards the Vigne Glacier. Spectacular views.

Karim, K2 and me.

Wed.12th Aug. Day 12. Gore 2 to Concordia ( 4600 m. - 15091 ft.)

The glacier was becoming less chaotic but more icy.
We got the best views of Mustagh Tower - 7273 m., 23862 ft. - first climbed in 1956 by Joe Brown et al.
As we approached Concordia, K2 slowly came into view past Marble Peak. At last we could see the whole Abruzzi Ridge.
Time for the tourist photos.
First of a series of fine sunsets and sunrises.