I've now been in the land down under for 2.5 weeks and am thoroughly enjoying myself. I've been based with my in-laws in Nerang on the edge of the Gold Coast Hinterland which is nice and hilly so I've been getting in some great UTMB focussed training. I caught a cold in the 2nd week which put paid to running but I enjoyed myself by drinking lots of beer and wine from the wineries in the granite belt which we were visiting (try the Felsberg Tawny Port if you can get it -mmmm). In fact drinking lots of beer has been a fairly constant theme of the trip but this was to be expected, being married to a Queenslander.
I am now on the bit of the trip which is paying for my flights - a work conference in tropical Cairns where the temperature is a notch higher at 28C, high considering it is mid-winter here! It is fairly humid too so running is hot and sweaty, but good UTMB heat training I figure.
There is a 330m rainforest covered hill, Mount Whitfield, 5km from my hotel that I have been running to and running up and down like a deranged sweaty Scots man. I've spotted one or two other locals also doing reps so I'm not being totally batty.
The stairs on the way up Mount Whitfield
I ran round the 'blue arrow' trail near dusk the other day and began to get the aaaagh spiders are out to get me jitters. Then began to think about snakes and violently territorial cassowaries before reigning myself in with a 'stop it you soft git and carry on regardless eeek what's that in the bushes come on man stiff upper lip'.
Off for a catamaran trip to the outer barrier reef for some snorkelling today under bright blue cloud free 27C skies as it is the 'social' day of the conference. Ah its a hard life. :-))))))
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2 comments:
Have fun Brian. We were in Cairns a few years ago and it was fantastic, although very humid. And to make the trip even better, Elle McPherson was on our flight back to Sydney :)
With my post Peak Oiler perspective I say make the most of the moment our governments are funding society on funny money anyway ;¬)
Checked out The Bull it has had a refit, polished alloy and wooden floors perhaps a culture shock after the spit and sawdust of Queensland. No salt in the beer probably has extras from the surly staff though!:¬)
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