From a forested meadow where goats and cattle graze to a whimsical glade where fairies would frolic to windswept mountain desert where life is hard. In just a few short hours the transition here is tremendous and the pay off, well, let’s just say more than worth it. The Cerro Castillo Day Hike is still … More Cerro Castillo Day Hike
2:30 am came way to fast when sleeping on the cold hard ground. I crawled out of the tent unable to walk yet from my boards stiff muscles. Seized and broken, I did my best to stretch it out and step into a void of temporary painlessness. The stars still shone strong, while the path … More Climbing Mount Rinjani – Part 2
I was packed and ready to go, but ready for what was to come is a whole other story. I emptied my backpack reorganizing with the bare necessities for a couple days. The clothes I was wearing, a change of warm clothes for the top, a few security snacks, camera and most importantly some extra … More Climbing Mount Rinjani – Part 1
I’ve always found joy in hiking and spending time amongst nature. It always been a way to relax, bring peace to my life and put me back on an even keel. After a bender of a weekend attending my first footie game (AFL), followed by Groovin’ the Moo (a music festival primarily supporting Australian artists), … More Three Falls Grand Hike
The houses in view, the sound of children playing outside, this couldn’t just be mirage. No, I was here. I had made it to Buscalan. I stopped to catch my breath and waited for Lotus (the lovely lady who became my ‘guide’ to this magnificent village). She walked me through the village of precarious paths, … More Apo Whang-Od – Receiving my Batok Tattoo
Every journey must begin somewhere and for me this one begins in Manila. While this is slowly becoming more popular of a place to visit, most people opt out for the famous Banaue UNESCO rice terraces scaling the Cordillera Mountains, unless the sole purpose is to get a tattoo. This was going to be a … More Journey to Apo Whang-Od, Master Mambabatok
Set on the edge of Georgian Bay, peppered with rugged barren islands which have put up a strong resistance to the invasion of man. A feeling of remoteness invokes the imagination of what the mainland once was hundreds of years ago. The region itself sits amongst the magnificent beauty of the Canadian Shield. It only … More Parry Sound – Home of the 30,000 Islands
Dark, dusty and way too early, we arrived in Kalaw. Around 4:00 am, no real way of telling, we stood in a stunned silence half awake, still unable to comprehend what to do. From out of the darkness, a sketchy character approaches with a bit of a limp and half closed eye reminding me of … More 2 Weeks in Myanmar – Part 2
Day 9 – Nothing like trying some yak meat first thing in the morning. A dish local to the Manang region, Khoo. A rice and potato porridge with fried yak meat and chives on top. An extremely simple dish, but so flavourful. A prime example of how the mountain villages make the most of what … More Trekking the Annapurna Circuit – Part 4: Thorong La Pass
Day 6 – It’s recommended that once you reach Manang that a day is taken to rest and acclimatize to the elevation. Since I made it here in five days, one day ahead of the guidebooks I probably shouldn’t have left at seven in the morning to take on the most difficult and dangerous side … More Trekking the Annapurna Circuit – Part 3: Tilicho Lake Side Trek