wings so good.

Farewell Australia...

Laugh Kookaburra Laugh!

These posts in a field between Natimuk and Horsham caught my eye everytime I went past.

Just another fine meal of grilled snags and steaks with chips, onions, mushrooms, salad and wine.

The Sulfur Crested Cockatoos racing around town.

A tasty snack in Horsham, a steak cheese and bacon pie with strawberry milk.

This is the tasmanian devil, didn't see any of these in the wild either.

Some of the prison ruins at Port Arthur.

Ira and I at the taps of the Cascade Brewery in Hobart.

So many sea shells sitting in the sand on the sea shore.

Ahh, the serenity.

Just chillin.

This is a wombat. Unfortunately I didn't see any in the wild.

Ira atop Cradle Mtn.

Looking back at Cradle Mountain and enjoying another fine day.

Brush tailed possums were everywhere down there.

Enjoying a scallop pie, a local tasmanian treat. Good, but not something I miss.

Mark and the gorge at Mt. Buffalo

A climber in a sea of rock.

Ira and I had a chance to catch up down in Tasmania, parts of which were very lush.

I played the part of tourist, with my aussie flag hat and camera in hand most of the time.

Mark, stepping onto I'm a Little Dinosaur.

These are the two old gum trees that sit right across the street from Al's place.
I could sit and stare at them for hours, if I could ever just sit still that is.
It was common to see Galahs and Sulfur Crested Cockatoos in the branches.
Occasionally I would spot a Kookaburra sitting there and it would bring a smile to my face.

Here is Luke enjoying I'm a Little Astroid on the sharp end.

I didn't do much sight-seeing while in Australia, but did have a chance to see the Twelve Apostles along the great ocean road.

PAV

Pav:

This is now my favorite dessert, Pavlova.

Said to have been created for the visiting Russian ballet dancer of the same name, it's a sweet meringue with a crunchy outer shell and soft moist almost marshmellowy interior.

On a scale from one to three it scores a solid five.

Naomi taking a lap on Straw Dogs.

Grilled swordfish, stuffed zucchini, tomato and basil, with a mixed green salad, all fihished with a ginger beer. Summer tastes great.

Sunset at the mount, looking at central gulley right side.

No bake cheesecake with Apricot glaze, compliments of Naomi.

Here I make a desperate lunge for the last hold of the second pitch, while my belayer Ben is calm and collected.

Ben, Naomi, and Me hanging out at the belay with the famous Taipan wall in the background.

Another fabulous meal, grilled kangaroo steaks, mashed potatoes (regular and sweet), steamed beans and squash, with sauteed mushrooms and a beer.

Here's a picture of me struggling up the lower section of the classic Squeakeasy, not long before I fell.
Mt. Arapiles takes such good gear that it's easy to push your limits safely.

Food

There were some days that I didn't climb,
but there were no days that I didn't eat.


Neil made a nice Thai Chicken Curry one night.

Naomi and Ben making pizzas.

and Ben made golden syrup dumplings that were excellent.

We grilled ribs one night, with grilled stuffed zucchini, potatoes, and roasted squash and beets.
Ben "the vegetarian" enjoyed more than one rib. For dessert, apple crumble ala mode.

Whole roasted Turkey cooked in the weber, with stuffing, and grilled potatoes, yams, and beets.

Here's a shot of me going up Missing Link, a nice face climb up the back of Bluff Major.

A rest day activity Naomi, Al, Neil and I went for mini-golf at Halls Gap.

Then it was time for more great climbing. Here Al styles his way up Copyright.