Escaping everyday entrapments and exploring entrancing woodlands

 The motivation to explore and to discover, I find, is not at all times constitutional to our state of being. But that we sometimes need to exercise our discipline to go fourth and seek, search, and unearth the extraordinary things that lie just beyond the corner. 

To summon an impetus that starts our journey, knowing that once in motion we may find such joy and wonder that we may never wish to stop...

Amateur photographer's antics antagonise apathetic animals

2017 Photography Edition:

A collection of unimpressed local wildlife

Photographer risked his life to capture this wild animal on film

Retrospective Photographical Repertoire

I wanted to share some landscapes that I have not posted before - from being too self conscious or busy. Revisiting albums with a new perspective, we see colours and details that we never noticed before, and sometimes it is the subtleties that resonate the loudest.

Queenstown

silver linings

Wentworth

I wanted to catch the feeling of this summer as the afternoon clouds roll over the mountains 

and bathe the gumtrees in an ambience of melancholy

Where have you been little bottle? Tell me of all the walls you have climbed and crags you have seen

Lost on a ledge

Sometimes more is found when getting lost than one could ever imagine

Deck the halls with quickdraws

It's that time of year again; the season for climbing!

Summer has come and brought with it a mixed bag of tropical rainstorms, fry-an-egg-on-your-bonnet heat, and dry refreshing sendage breeze - in vastly unpopular ratios. Making the most of the weather windows is the art, and finding someone silly enough to give you a catch is the science. 

Also wishing everyone a happy xmas and new years, send hard :)

Medlow Bath, Sunbath

 Dams Cliffs, Bell

Bellbird Wall, Pulpit rock

Chris and Damo pulling on small holds, White Linen wall - Centennial Glen

Happy xmas and new year 2016!!

Coffee and tv

Sydney CBD - Woolloomooloo, Toby's estate

Small cafe with a great atmosphere, and a brilliant selection of local and imported coffee roasts available. It can become crowded on some occasions but it is in a relatively quiet part of the city and affords an escape from the chaos.

Lower Mountains - Glenbrook, Cafe 2779
Cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, warm and friendly atmosphere, popular with local audiences. Great coffee and decent light meals, it is a great place for good coffee below Springwood.

Mid Mountains - Springwood, Pink Papaya or whatever it's called
The competition steps up a gear in Springwood, with a great many places to find a latte. Few of them will be worthwhile. Edging out the ever popular yet noisy dbl ristretto is Pink Papaya (or whatever it's called now). Seating is modest but the coffee is in a league that surpasses the others. Located farther from the main street down an arcade, the passing traffic noise is also reduced.

Upper Mountains - Wentie Falls, il Postino's

Once a post office, this coffee shop has great coffee, great light meals, and a warm atmosphere. Outdoor and indoor seating as well as local art, newspapers. This is the choice of coffee for the Katoomba and surrounding areas as well.

Top of the mountain - Bleakheath, Altitude delicatessen

Altitude is situated on the main street of Blackheath and is the place for pre-climb coffee. They have the blue mountains climbing guide books for browsing and also make some solid coffee. If you want to meet visiting climbers from overseas or find a new belay bitch, then this is the place.

If it's cold enough, all tea is iced tea

After coffee and second breakfast at Il Postinos, Ben N, Jason and I spent the day down in the depths of Porters Pass in a futile attempt to escape the chilling windstorm that engulfed the upper mountains.

Played around on Powerbra Rangers and then Jas and Ben gave Chook Lotto a solid effort before we bailed to the Alex for a few rounds of pool with a new friend we made over some beers. 

A good hustle in some bad weather.

Jason with notable steeze

Ben N warming up

Making a dog's breakfast of it as always

Tea

Ben N styling through the thin crux

Winter in the mountains

Finally finished what felt like a marathon of a semester (note: author has never run a marathon), and I am finally back in the blueys. Was climbing out at Medlow bath yesterday with Jason, Es, Steph, and Hannan; feeling super weak and trying to stay standing in some solid wind and cold.

With Jas at work, hannan and I took the day to tear down the mountains in our respective imprezas and take some photos of leura cascades.

Leura Cascades

Generic Visit Blue Mountains ad

Toasted Sandvich cafe at Leura

Windswept Hannan

Hoppípolla; puddles at the glen

First time outdoors at a crag since having surgery. Feels incredible to breathe the cool, misty mountains air again as we headed out on a rainy afternoon at shipley plateau. Although not strong enough (or allowed to climb yet), it was a brilliant day with great people regardless. 

Damp conditions, mist and rain made the rock challenging to grip as those climbing fought hard to find any friction.

Gene displaying dedication and strength on Madge and Trix

Centennial Glen - Main wall, Chris climbing Madge McDonald (25)

Zion waiting for someone to play fetch

Arnold smiles :)

Jason chalking up - Trix Roughly, 26

Ben Lane (Jenga) - The Disintegrator, 24

Jason, Ben, Gene, Chris (from left)

Photo credit - Sneaky photo by Jason Nguyen