Music in Brissie.

Seems like there's a lot of good music around at the moment. Enjoying the new albums from David Guetta, Gotye, Kimbra, Howling Bells, Jezabels as well as more obscure stuff - check out Owl Eyes and Sa Dingding. However, I had to get onto some overseas website to get the new Kasabian album, Velociraptor, which on first listening sounds like another winner. Enjoy.

PARKLIFE concert on 1st October. http://www.parklife.com.au/artists

Sydney ASA meeting.

To Sydney to the Australian Society of Anaesthetists National Scientific Congress.

I gave a 50 minute talk entitled 'High Altitude Medicine and Physiology. The perils of getting high.'

It seemed to go down rather well so will keep it up to date and keep spreading the word - it's about Genetics and HIF 1 alpha!

Paula

My wife had quite a large operation done last week. She is home and well on the road to recovery. I've put her onto a chocolate and chips diet so she doesn't fade away.

She has been impressively strong about the whole thing. That's my girl!

New Toy! - GPS

With a few treks lined up it was time to get a proper GPS.

This one will collect data which can then be overlaid onto a Google Earth map.

This is my morning run;

Thu. 28th July. Skiing at Coronet Peak.

Picked up the gear and got the bus up to Coronet Peak.

Brady had never been on skis before and he did incredibly well;

Then, sadly, on the Friday we left NZ.

Wed. 27th July. To Queenstown

In the evening - to the opening night of the 'Below Zero Ice Bar' - and I was the first customer.

Everything was ice - even the glasses we drank the cocktails out of.

After an hour there it was off to Pog Mahone's Irish bar for a pint and a Steak & Guinness pie.

Tue. 24th July. Back to Wanaka.

The weather was closing in so a morning flight back to Wanaka.

Lunch by the Lake.
Then an evening curry with Kingfisher beers.

Mon. 25th July. 3rd day's climbing.

A snowy & windy day - selftimer shot.

The waterfalls were beautiful and challenging.
We managed to get a few bits of video, but the fingers went numb doing it.

Then the long walk back up to the Hut - but a fabulous sunset.

Sun. 24th July. Brady's 25th Birthday.

Another great day's climbing - some signs of improvement from everyone.

As it was Brady's birthday we had the Moet out of plastic mugs back in the hut.
It looks cosy but was well below zero.
He even got birthday candles stuck in his dessert.

Sat.23rd July. Flew up to Black Peak.

From Queenstown to Wanaka the previous day then a morning flight up to Black Peak Hut.

The other members of the party - Nicolette, Brady and our Instructor, Tim.
Climbing began right away and it was very cold but hugely exhiliarating.
First, just choose some frozen waterfalls.

ICE CLIMBING

Off to Queenstown in New Zealand first thing in the morning then on to Wanaka.

Going with Brady, Nicola's boyfriend. We are staying in a hut at Black Peak and doing a 4 day course learning how to climb frozen waterfalls.

We then have a couple of days back in Queenstown so hope to get in a full day's skiing at Coronet Peak.

Photos to follow. Toodle-pip!

Sat. 2nd July AUSTRALIA ZOO

Sophie Goodall staying with us on her way back to the UK.

Popped up to Australia Zoo and Maleny for the day with Madeleine.

You get really close to the crocs!

Lots of little roos in pouches.
Bindi Irwin turned 13 and is now allowed to feed the crocs - her mum, Terri, standing well back.
There's a bronze of the family as a memorial to Steve.

The CLOUD is up there.

Just spotted that the Apple Cloud is now up and running.

It means that my Mac desktop, Powerbook laptop, iPad and iPhone can all access my documents, photos and music from anywhere in the world.

This could be quite useful!

Urbanclimbing Brisbane.

Jake and myself have been doing some indoor climbing over the last few weeks - we are definitely getting better.

It's all preparation for the Ice-climbing course in New Zealand in less than 3 weeks.

I've also been out most days walking with weights or the early morning 5 km. jog.

Winter at last!

It's now much cooler in Brisbane - single digit temps. overnight (like 9°C).

So it's now pleasant exercising. I'm getting in some early morning runs and longer walks if I have the time - New Zealand only 6 weeks away.

Then it's Bhutan in October.

Spotted today that the 31 year old, Oxford educated, King is getting married to 20 year old Jetsun Pema in October. Could be quite a party.

Brilliant Speakers for travelling

I was at work the other day and a friend had these tiny speakers connected to the iPod.

Brilliant noise. The speakers are quite heavy and pump out a bit of bass.

Ideal for travelling or connected to my computer.

They're called FoxL and I got mine on-line.

22nd May - Birthday Today

Another Birthday today - they seem to come round regularly.

I was given a 'Mr. Grumpy' mug! Someone else's surely?

Horses?

After a conversation with a surgical colleague of mine, I wake this morning to find myself with a 10% stake in a racehorse!

Details and hot tips to follow.

ICE CLIMBING

All booked in for a week in New Zealand in July climbing frozen waterfalls.

Someone has to do it !

Slap up meal in Rome with the Latters

Capt. Jon, who was on the Annapurna trip last year, flew to Rome with wife Liz simply to join us for dinner.

We massively overindulged at the rooftop restaurant of a hotel with an incredible view of Rome at night.

Says it all really!

Back to Rome for 3 nights

Another lovely hotel - this was the Inn at the Forum. Literally overlooking the old Roman Forum.

This is the print shop near the Pantheon where I got my souvenirs for framing on our return.
We tracked down more famous stuff. This was Michaelangelo's statue of Moses. (He could paint ceilings too).
And this is the Bocca della Verita as featured in Audrey's movie 'Roman Holiday'.

Venice for 4 nights.

It was great arriving in Venice by train.

Our hotel was just off a side canal of the Grand Canal and we just walked everywhere - it wasn't necessary to swim.
Every time I saw one of these reminded me of John Cleese's travelogue where he ends up ranting about "more fucking gondolas"
An early stop was Harry's bar where such luminaries as Ernest Hemingway and Charlie Chaplin would hang out - a bit of a special place this.

We loved the Doges Palace with it's Bridge of Sighs and also enjoyed the Accademia but just walking around was the best bit of Venice - just being there.