The gale force wind cut through my five layers of clothing causing an involuntary shiver. The continuous rain over the last 15 hours had long ago penetrated my waterproof jacket and had soaked through the other four layers adding a chill factor that was becoming dangerous. I was at least 10 miles from the nearest checkpoint and in these conditions and over this terrain that was at least another 2.5 hours. I had been coping with the cold up until now; running had been keeping my core temperature up but as the wind had picked up and my running speed slowed [View Full Entry]

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It was a typically grey, drizzly English day for our visit to the quintessential English town of York. Our visit co-incided with a food festival and we spent a pleasant late morning wandering through a local food market full of Melton Mowbray pork pies, Bakewell tarts, Stinking Bishop cheddar, English cider, real ale and other local delicacies. Unfortunately as we were enroute to Newcastle for me to compete in the Great North Run - a half marathon and the biggest fun run in the world which finishes in my Grandfather's home town of South Shields - I had to resist all [View Full Entry]

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Without any audible noise the race has begun. I stand unmoving waiting for the runners ahead to move forward through the narrow streets of Chamonix to allow me some space to start running. There is over 2300 runners all packed into a very small area behind the start line, each runner with a backpack and most with two trekking poles sticking out of the pack making it advisable not to get too close to the runner ahead. After what seems like several minutes but is probably only 60 seconds I move forward and start running. The first kilometer is through the [View Full Entry]

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After our long wait in the Johdpur train station we were finally ready to board the overnight train to Jaisalmer, a fortressed town in the middle of the Thar Desert not too far from the border with Pakistan. We settled quickly into the familiar routine of getting comfortable on the high bunk beds. Getting out of sleeping bags and ensuring that all our our luggage was safely stowed under our heads or beneath our beds so it could not disappear whilst we slept. These overnight train rides can be at worst an absolute nightmare so I was pleased to arrive in [View Full Entry]

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After nearly two years in London and a fleeting one-week visit home to Adelaide for Andrew's brother Bernard and Amanda’s wedding we were up very early on Wednesday morning, bags packed and ready for three weeks in India. It felt a bit premature leaving Adelaide already after less than a week here but I knew we would be back in a month’s time. Long flights, plane food and watching movies on a tiny screen had begun to feel almost the norm after 26 hours from London to Adelaide and now from Adelaide to Sydney, Sydney to Darwin and finally on to [View Full Entry]

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Ever since I watched David Reyne appearing on Australian travel show Getaway standing next to a moose in the broad daylight at 3am I have dreamed of visiting Lappland: the land of the midnight sun. Our Christmas adventure to far northern Sweden this year meant I was finally going to fulfill my dream, but ironically I would be seeing the exact opposite of the midnight sun, visiting in the depths of winter when the sun never actually makes it above the horizon and there is only about 5 hours of light a day. One thing is for sure- we would definitely [View Full Entry]

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A chilly trip to Cardiff to support the Wallabies - November 2005 We were very excited to manage to get tickets to watch the Wallabies take on Wales at the atmospheric Millennium Stadium. We boarded a bus in London Victoria and three hours later arrived in a freezing cold Cardiff already been overtaken by a sea of green and gold jerseys. The cold snap had begun in the United Kingdom and there was a dusting of snow on the ground as we rugged up and explored ancient Cardiff Castle - which looks like any old castle from the exterior but is [View Full Entry]

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Well, maybe not. But we can all dream ... and I can think of much worse ways to spend your 30th birthday! The approach of thirty had caught me a bit off guard. Always used to being the young one, I started to feel a bit old when we moved to London and I befriended some spring chickens at the ripe old age of 25. Things just continued to get worse as I met more and more people who I presumed were my age, only to find out they were also in their mid-twenties. Eeek! I decided that ignoring my turning [View Full Entry]

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Despite all the travelling we have done over the recent years our last true summer holiday was our honeymoon in February 2003 so we were very excited at the prospect of twelve days of sun, sea, sand, swimming, seafood, wine and of course icecream! I couldn't wait to feel the warm sun on my shoulders and the salty sea on my skin, and I especially couldn't wait to put some colour back on my pasty-white-post-English-winter limbs. Croatia is constantly listed as one of the world's hottest travel destinations of the moment. And it is none more popular than with Australians, so [View Full Entry]

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Rannoch Moor. The vast expanse of Britian's largest uninhabited wilderness surrounds me. I am all alone save for the peaks of the magnificent Scottish Highlands that can be seen in every direction. Its 4pm Saturday 24th June, I have been going since 1am this morning and am now walking, my legs rebelling against the brains command to run, my energy levels seem to have hit rock bottom despite forcing bananas, gels and sports drink down my throat. I stop and sit on a rock and contemplate the magnificent surroundings, at least I can enjoy that. It's more than 10km till the [View Full Entry]

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