Kanangra Walls

This morning we got in a quick walk in Kanangra Boyd National Park. Shook the dust off Vaughan's Land Rover Defender and dislodged any hiding in crevices due to the potholes and corrugations along the road there. 

We had a lunch date to keep so condensed our visit to the look out and the first part of the Plataeu walk. We'll save the Dance Floor cave for next time. 

Remnants of snow 

On the plateau walk

How to connect with nature feat. metho stove

Recently I've been feeling a bit flat. Feeling that I only connect with people when I'm the one to initiate the contact, make the time and place. I've never been a huge people person and I thought 'Why this sudden focus on what you don't have? What are you missing from your life that's always been there?' And I thought about my connection with the bush.

Over the weekend I made dad promise me to invite me on any walks he was going to be doing. It poured on Monday and I was, thankfully I remember thinking that day, on afternoon shift. He walked up and back down a hill sitting on the side of one of the town's I grew up in. Yesterday I finished work at 1, raced home to saw some leaders out of our apple tree with help then made it to our friend's house in the other town by 2.45. Dad had forgotten to tell me his shifts had changed to a 4pm finish, hence a 2 hour wait ensued.

He and this mate (+1 more) are going on a hike this weekend. It's going to take about 4 or 5 days, hard going. This mate, Jason, was all prepped with the things he needed. Ultra-light sleeping bag, mat, tent, food, camelbaks, clothes, etc. We spent the 2 hours checking out his little handmade metho stove. I've heard about them, but never seemed to find the use for or even look at them before. After checking his out, I'll be making one before my next backpacking adventure. This is a link he sent me to help me make my own.

We opened up his little netted bag of cooking devices and he gave me a demonstration that sold it. 30ml of metho=6 minutes of burn time. Easiest cup of tea when you're on the go, hands down. No moving pieces, no screwing things this way and that. Now I've just got to make my own...updates to come...

So after a good look through all his gear and some good conversations about the places we've been recently or are going to, dad turned up, we got in the car and made our way. Parking behind the Lithgow sewerage treatment plant (romantic, I know) we proceeded up the hill on foot. When reaching the top we followed the road, kept in reasonable condition by powerline grid workers. It led us to a clearing with an inconspicuous bushwalkers sign hidden in the scrub leading to an overgrown, rock-lined path to a cliff top, giving you this brilliant shot of the Zig Zag viaducts (with me in the foreground-how else to prove I've been there?).

After this we walked another little way down and up another bit of a hill and were witness to an absolutely stunning sunset at another angle. 

I only had my iphone on me, but it gives you a bit of an idea of how treated we were. It wasn't even all that cold as the rain over the last couple of days seems to have acted as insulation. I took a quick snap of the other two trying to capture the sunset but you can't even see dad in his everyday wear khaki in the background, mixed with the failing light. We were on top of the hill at this time, in the gorgeous, heathy scrubland. Just before it turns into 'private property'. As if you would restrict access to people from beautiful country like this! 

So all in all after that short approximately 3km trek, my soul has been somewhat re-energised and I feel more like myself, more grounded now that I've reconnected with my country. Now to make this more of a habit.

Humanity and Education

I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Do you?

Sometimes I envy those who do have it all planned out. You know that you want to be the best nurse you can be and are happy to devote hundreds, nay, thousands of hours to do so. I've struggled over the past few years as I've watched friends graduate, become teachers, nurses, get their trades and keep on achieving. I'm proud of them for doing so and honestly hope it's what makes them happy and I know for most, it is and that's awesome! I'm slowly learning to become content with what I've got, an exhilarating feeling on it's own, but to also be happy that I don't have to follow a specific path. I can finish my Diploma and not go on and go back to uni to become a Registered Nurse, and that's ok.

I love history. I love travelling. I love to learn about the amazing world we live in. We always seem to get caught up on what we're not doing rather than what we are. I had a conversation with my other half's cousin who is currently travelling the world (not doing it by halves either, currently in Tajikistan) and she spoke about how she's looking at all her friends back home who are finishing their degrees, managing businesses, having families while she was working where she could just so she can make it to her next adventure. You're always aware of what others are doing that you may have some pull towards doing but at the present time it may not be your priority so enjoy the moment you're living in.

I decided to drop a subject of my Masters this semester so that I can focus on finishing my Diploma to the best of my ability and also live a little. I now have time to work, so I can save to travel. I have time to finish off my assignments (also time to procrastinate, but we'll work on that later). I have time to put effort into my multiple interests, history, local adventures, 4 wheel driving, getting my 4WD back on the road. Time is something you can never get back so for now I'll go slow on what previous generations may have seen as the 'right' thing to do if you're planning on buying a home to raise a family. We have plans for that down the track but right now I'm young and able, I'm not wasting my time devoting my prime years to work when I can have a work/life balance. Working in Aged Care really solidifies this feeling I have. None of the resident's I care for have lectured me on making sure I build a stable base from which to lead the rest of my life from (to be fair, it wouldn't have been the female in the relationship doing that in the first place). I tell you what though, I have had a few tell me about how they always found a way to put enough together to feed, house and clothe their families. It wasn't a luxurious life, and it was sometimes very hard but it's the time you spend with each other, enjoying your life that is what counts, not the hours and hours spent at work every week.

I had a book club with some friends and I had a chat with one of the girls there. She mentioned to me how she's finished her degree and got a good job but it's not for her. She's not enjoying it. It happens. She's decided to start a course next year doing something she loves, working with horses, and seeing where it takes her. Working 9 til 5 in a job you don't like is simply not worth it for your mental health. This awareness seems to be seeping through my life in all different places and I'm thinking it would be daft to ignore it. If we could bring this acceptance I feel I've had lacking in life thus far it would make it so much easier for so many people out there questioning if what they're doing is 'good enough'. It all comes back to education, life education and what we can all share as a community.

(difficult segway into what I intended to blog about...) Recently I've been listening to a few programs on the radio about eugenics in the US in the early 20th century, pre-Nazi Germany, which also occurred in Australia. It's quite a shocking topic to learn about, how rampant it was, and accepted to a stage. It was all based around the premise of those of a lower socio-economic background or presupposed by those in more powerful positions for any reason or number of factors, that these individuals should not 'breed' to avoid further citizens with no use to offer the state. In a nutshell, a very large nutshell. Just today I watched a clip of a person of Oriental background and another of Anglo background chat while both on a jog. The Anglo asks "What kind of Asian are you?". You can find the clip here. It quite overstated but makes a fair point that previous generations have not really had to acknowledge before.

While this seems a little unrelated, it all comes back to the broad education new generations need to grow up with. The Conversation (newspaper) has suggested that genes may have very little to do with the actual academic or social success around a person's intelligence. That a person's intelligence varies greatly with the environment in which a person grows up in. Basically, it's up to us to have conversations about the lives we live, what we're really here for and how we can make humanity a little better. But I dunno, maybe that's just my own values and ethics coming into it. Should we really bother?



EDIT: Here is a link to a site a friend only shared yesterday which is aiming to develop emotional intelligence through the help of culture. They've got an extensive youtube channel that I could easily while away my day on. They describe themselves as addressing issues such as 'how to find fulfilling work, how to master the art of relationships, how to understand one's past, how to achieve calm and how better to understand and, where necessary change, the world.' They make me yearn for more opportunities to have meaningful conversations and deeper relationships.

'The School of Life is a place to step back and think intelligently about central emotional concerns. You will never be cornered by dogma, but we will direct you towards a variety of ideas from the humanities – from philosophy to literature, psychology to the visual arts – ideas that will exercise, stimulate and expand your mind. You will meet other curious, sociable and open-minded people in an atmosphere of exploration and enjoyment.'

Back on track to getting the Hilux back

Getting better at this regularity thing. This time I'm coming to chat about me *trying* to motivate my father to help me get my car back on the road (which was put out of service about 2 years ago due to someone doing a u-ey [translation: u-turn] in front of me).

After fiddling with the diesel pump (which has developed a leak) and getting some pressure into the engine we successfully started it. The battery didn't even fail us. How I have missed the lack of power steering! (Srsly, I feel like xena driving it). So now it sits in mum and dads driveway, right in the way to be used as extra motivation to fix it up enough to drive it to my place where I can do my own panel beating. Dad just needs to replace what he can out of our stable-full of replacement '85 Hilux parts, a bit of welding then it's back for some small aesthetic touches. 

I'm not usually one who attaches themselves to or feels like they are defined by their material possessions but this car I helped build from 3 separate pieces-engine, basic chassis and all other bits, when I was 16 to be my daily drive in the last years of my schooling and then ferried me back and forth to uni on the south coast and the rest of the state. The dear old thing has been through a lot with me and deserves a peaceful retirement spent with me doing the odd firewood haul or picking up bales of hay (does not go well in the back of the forester).

So the above is it so far. This afternoon will hopefully achieve just a little bit more. 

Mum will be happy (the closer it is to being fixed, the closer it is to being out of her driveway).

Update:

Had to pull the bullbar off to get to one little screw that could not be got at by any which way. Here's the little bugger:

Finally managed to get the grill off and gave it a fair wash and degrease. Now it looks naked.

Lots to go but made a good amount of progress this arvo. Now, bask in the beauty of this lovely photo of the last rays of sunset shimmering through the gumtrees to reflect off the clean windscreen.

City daybreak

Quick trip to Sydney for a reunion with old family.

Train trips and a spot of walking.

Classic Sydney Harbour panoramic from the bridge

Took the opportunity to walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge

A glimpse of the Bridge in all its glory as we caught a ferry back to the Quay from Luna Park to get another one down the river to Abbotsford to join friends for birthday celebrations. Met a nice man whose back home from 16 years living in Uganda and had a conversation about how he feels like a stranger for being away so long. Also how aloof and cold the strangers in the city are, whereas in his past few years he's grown used to a more open people. I fear I've given him too much of a bad look of the country when we spoke about the undercurrent of racism in some small town people's minds, but overall asserted the open, friendliness regional centres can bring for tourists. Not only regional centres on second thought but also some of the quality little spots you can find in our awesome encompassing land.

Porsche Delivery

This week we've been off for a quick trip to Melbourne. My father in law decided (to various interested parties' disgust) to sell his Porsche. Yay spontaneous road trip!!!! Most expenses paid!! Woo!!

Wallendbeen Church 

Also, take note. When I say Porsche, I do not refer to a flash, new, expensive sports car. I refer to the brown 1974 coupe' which has been mostly sitting undercover at his property the past few years. It is old, a classic some might say, and delivers as much, if not more, unique class and style than today's new cars. We've a bit of a penchant for the older, used material things if you haven't yet noticed, most things included (music, style). I guess it may have something to do with my particular interest in modern history...

Concrete bridge across the Murrumbidgee

Once we got on the road, we had the opportunity to visit places we wouldn't usually go and made the time to take the road less travelled. Take for example the above causeway/bridge near Sandy Beach, somewhere near Wagga Wagga. Here we were following roads that we thought would take us in the general direction and then when we hit the main hwy (the Hume) we relaxed and cruised and made up the km's there.

Following the Porsche along an anonymous road (anonymous only because I can't remember where or when this was taken)

Old Refreshment Rooms, Junee Railway Station 

After a late night exchange with the new happy owners of the Porsche we were all in the one car for the remainder of the trip. We found our way through the country around Kingslake, a part of Victoria that was hit particularly badly when the fires came through a few years back. The country is beautiful, rolling green hills with scattered eucalypt forest, especially green due to the recent rainfalls they've had. Once we hit the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne it was a surprisingly quick route into the city. We had to stop first at Eurobrit, a specialist motorcycle store. Some hubs for a Moto Guzzi were in order. The chat proved especially helpful as well, making connections and learning the who's who of the parts world concerning Norton's and the like.

Magpie warbling at Yea as the sun begins to show itself behind the clearing clouds

From here I was dropped in Toorak at Como House, a Heritage building encompassing a mix of Regency and Italianate architecture in the more affluent suburbs of the city. Main highlights for me included the vegetable gardens and Esmerelda the Plymoth Rock hen, the only left until a restock.

Como House

Unfortunately the house is only open for tours on weekends. The importance of upkeep of these treasures harking back to our history are crucial and a higher standard of management by those in the upper levels of the management of these building would improve the works of the volunteers who are at the ready to contribute time and effort. These beautiful time capsules are an opportunity just waiting for development and use. The lovely volunteer at the desk informed me that for some peculiar reason the house was only allowed 6 private functions a year. It is astonishing why there would be a limit put on such things occurring when they are a potential major source of income to keep these places going. One is left stumbling for reasons behind such things but for the moment the grounds are ship-shape and well worth the visit.

Como House vegetable garden

Vegetable gardens take two, featuring marigolds and rosemary

From here I enjoyed figuring out the tram system back towards the city, with some help from helpful locals. All those I was fortunate enough to converse with were either a great help or, another fellow traveller, provided good conversation through the trip on foot. I made it to the grounds of the Botanic Gardens, where the Remembrance Shrine rests. At the moment they have an exhibition of the battle of Pozieres, a particularly poignant battle due to the huge losses sustained by the Australian troops. It was chosen due to it's centenary commemorations.

Dodgy panorama of the Remembrance shrine

While I really savour modern social histories, the dates and details so frequently mentioned when speaking of such atrocities have never seemed to stick in my mind. When one pursues information or discussion about such military histories the dates are presented as so very stark and I feel this is a failure on my memory's part. Despite this, specific pictures, stories and experiences stand out. The one that struck me particularly was the aerial photograph of the Moquet farm before and after the battle, only weeks apart.

Another thing that strikes me particularly is the actuality that it was someone's farm, people actually worked here tending animals and paddocks (or fields or the French equivalent). That thousands of people lost their lives on this particular patch of ground is mind numbing. The numbers and event itself surpasses reality when comparing it to home. I can't even begin to imagine thousands of men fighting over organised borders of patches of land in Australia. Our history as a country is fraught with brutality but the sheer concentration in one location I guess is difficult for me to visualise.

The morose mood was gradually lightened by a child about 4 constantly asking his grandparents questions about anything relating to the exhibition and otherwise, wherever his young mind took him. One particular exchange stood out to me:

Child (on viewing a film on the Battle of Pozieres): "When you go to heaven do you take your body with you?"
Grandparent: "No, it's left on earth"
Child: "If you can't take your body with you, how do you play cricket and stuff?"

Children are so often the voice of reason.

La Trobe's cottage, just nearby the Shrine

From the exhibition I climbed the staircase up to the top of the Shrine, well worth it for the beautiful architecture they've chosen to immortalise the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice (Some may question what for, but that is for another time). From here the walk back to modern life through the Botanic Gardens is grounding and gorgeous. You almost forget you're in the middle of one of Australia's major cities.

A remembrance garden for the pioneer women of Victoria. I want one.

That night we visited the Berlin bar, tucked away in the second story of a random building in Chinatown. It is divided into the East and West, the west modelled off a James Bond film. The experience is well worth the visit. It's unusual for a couple in their early 20's to be in bed before 10 but we managed to fit in a lot and had to rest, before driving back to the border the next day.

That morning we fitted in a trip to the Old Melbourne Gaol, the reviews you read are true. A fabulous stop for a bit of history. We also popped into the State Library to have a look around. Enjoy the fabulous pictorials.

State Library 1

State Library 2

Old Melbourne Gaol

On the drive out of the city we stopped at Thornbury for lunch. We saw a little cafe' called 'Le cafe Flo' and decided to drop in. It was raining and pretty cool (temperature-wise). We stepped through the door and a wall of warm air met us and we had fallen into a little cafe' in a small French town, even the waitress was French. Oh, how I love French cuisine, so rich, flavourful and delicious. The perfect way to make our exit.

Beef Bourguignon with a simple mash and salad. So yum

The road home delivered us through the Riverina and Central west NSW, visiting rellies and picking lemons, mandarins and oranges. The country is gorgeous at the moment, rivers full to the top of their banks and the hills green. Such a pleasant drive, even when there were a few hours spent on the Hume.

Adventures over, today I'm spending catching up with real life again, working this afternoon. The chooks are out scratching around, the dog is at my feet in front of the fire. It's not a particularly late shift so I'll have time to relax with tonight's slow cooked dinner once I get home, a Cauliflower Balti, what a joy slow cookers are. It's about time I get to finishing up some of my assignments.

Until our next little catch up,

Caitlin.

Pet Therapy-session 1

This afternoon my trusty Coolie x Kelpie sidekick Zali and I visited the Nursing home I've been working at casually for the past few months. I'd spoken with a number of residents about how interested they would be to meet any animals, particularly dogs because I can help in that regard. So I checked with the heads of the establishment and they offered encouragement for the benefit of the residents so it was decided.

I had left it too late to get a professional groomer to give her a good wash and blow dry so instead I took to her with a bar of dog soap from the lemongrass man at the local markets. Her toenails were clipped and she had a good towel dry (she loves the towel part-my word, she can make some good groans of satisfaction).

I wasn't sure how she would go with all the new sights and smells and people but she has a fabulous temperament, very tolerant of all kinds of people, other dogs and even gives the chickens a healthy range if they threaten to peck her over a scrap. 

We went into the Dementia ward first and had got a good response with interest and semi-intelligible conversation from some that were difficult to get a sentence out of. The way I see it, if I am ever cursed with the disease of Dementia I would appreciate contact with animals over human contact. The times their companionship has guarded against failing mental health would be countless and their happy presence is reassuring without the need for words.

We wound our way through the home visiting different rooms along the way, one lady in particular who I've spoken with at length about our shared love of animals. She was ever so grateful for the visit. She amongst others were equally glad to have a cuddle and Zali handled it really quite well. Towards the end her eagerness to continue the pathways of smell she could sense was becoming overwhelming so sitting still and being petted became the second priority but she dutifully obeyed and sat. 

By the end of the visit she was all patted out and keen to get home and chill out next to her human. She's only 3 years old but seems to have the wisdom of a much older animal. Personalities like this make me wonder if perhaps the Buddhist principle of reincarnation has some weight to it after all.