Sun 23rd Sep. TOUGH MUDDER. Sydney

Nicola & I to Sydney to join Joe Bonington's team of 19 to run the Tough Mudder race.

20 km. of mud and obstacles - walls, water, fire, barbed wire & electric shocks.

And the race begins - wearing our 'Joe's Garage' shirts.

Getting over the walls was a team effort.

 The 'Slippery Eel' was quite literally shocking.

 Through the ice bath.

 Then the burning tyres

Then this ramp called 'Everest'. 

And at the end - a beer and a 'Tough Mudder' headband.

PLENTY MORE PHOTOS ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE.

Fri. 21st Sept. Manly. Sydney.

To Ashiana's Indian Restaurant in Manly.
Joe Bonington & his mum Wendy.

Jude & Chris

Myself, Wendy, Chris & my daughter Nicola.

Sun. 16th. Sept. Steel Hammer's 1st Race.

To Caloundra Racecourse.

Steel Hammer - in whom I have a 10% share (front right leg) - had his first race.

In our stable's colours of orange & green.

 He started as favourite, led until 2 furlongs from home, then faded and finished 2nd last!
However, he'll have better odds on him next time.

Sun. 2nd Sept. Bridge to Brisbane. 10 km. run.

With Nicola and her friend Bec to the 06.00 start of the run.

Did 1.02.44. Then into the Wesley Hospital corporate tent for breakfast.

Not even sweating!

Fri. 31st Aug. Charity Dinner at Restaurant II

To Restaurant II for the annual WANTZ committee Charity Dinner.

This year they raised $200,000 for Cerebral Palsy.

 Paula, Bill, Les & Janet.

22nd Aug. 4th Day Skiing New Zealand. Treble Cone.

A long early morning drive from Queenstown  and beyond Wanaka to Treble Cone ski area.

Fabulous view of Lake Wanaka.

After a full day's skiing, to the pub in Cardrona...

Then in the eveing to 'Brazz' in Queenstown for venison and to watch the first round of the Bledisloe  cup - rugby union. NZ beat the Wallabies!

21st Aug. 3rd Day Skiing New Zealand. Cardrona.

Up to the Cardrona ski area between Queenstown and Wanaka.

Beautiful day's skiing. Plenty of good runs and off piste.

Mick, Susie & me.

A coiuple of pints in 'the Tap', Arrowtown.

Then the beef & Guinness pie at Pog Mahone's in Queenstown.

20th Aug. 2nd Day Skiing New Zealand. Coronet Peak

Half hour drive up to Coronet Peak. A great sunny day. 

Some great piste runs but not much off piste snow

  A real ice-bar opened up near the summit - lunchtime mulled wine!

In the evening to the Ice Bar in Queenstown...

Followed by the Bambi Burger at 'Fergburger's' in Queenstown.

19th Aug. 1st Day skiing New Zealand

To 'The Remarkables' ski area. Bit cloudy but snow not bad.

Skiing with ald friends Mick & Susie, daughter Sally and her boyfriend Kenan.

Curry in Queenstown in the evening

To Carmel's Exhibition of ceramics.

To Ithaca Tafe to check out the exhibition being held by Carmel Lumley of her ceramics.

The works are inspired by the sea and are exquisite porcelain jellyfish and nudibranchs (look it up!)

The Prime Minister of Tibet

To the Novotel Airport Hotel to a small gathering to hear the newly elected Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile.

He was preceeded by Sonam Norbu Dagpo, the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Australasia.

Lobsang Sangay is a Harvard educated Tibetan who was recently elected Kalon Tripa, or Prime Minister.

He spoke, very eloquently, for an hour on how he was elected to the position (which has taken on all the secular obligations of the Dalai Lama) and the current situation with the Chinese and how bad things are in Tibet.

Afterwards he posed for photos with members of the Tibetan Queensland Community.