HARMLESS OR HARMFUL ADVENTURE?

Most travellers go to Rio to stand below this landmark STATUE and take photos.
Did this guy want to get better photos from this height?
Is this adventure or simply stupidity? I know there is often a fine line here between the two.
I realise that this is an obsession for BASE jumpers...those people who want to parachute off every structure natural and built....

I am not sure that it is a digitally altered picture because I don't remember reading anything about this. I reserve judgment on the person's motivation to do this, in the absence of further info.

On face value, I find it a little difficult to accept and was not sure whether to promote it even here.

Giving the benefit of the doubt, I would hope it has a genuine motivation and does not impinge on the rights and offend the sensitivities of Brazilians who respect this iconic structure.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'...Paladin paladin where do you roam

I came across these youtube clips on a recent browse and it reminded me of a day of song on the camino when they finished strongly in my repertoire. Why were the TV shows theme songs of the 60's and 70's so catchy? Oh yes, pretty trite but they were very singable.
It doesn't seem to be the case for present themes...Start singing the theme of the Sopranos if you can...great tune Maybe a go at FRIENDS. Maybe it was just a TV time of Warner brother Westerns, Muskateers, and a big range of American Sitcoms that made those shows theme music so memorable... and we were young and impressionable

The British produced great musical scores and theme music... Denis Waterman comes to mind . Minder and recently New Tricks etc .... All the police shows and comedies...can't remember that I've ever burst into song on any of them though

Rawhide and Paladin are timeless or maybe date me.






On one very long day on the camino when the day was very hot, the road long and dusty and remote, I sang just about every song I could remember to pass the time and take our minds of our tired progress.


This included that title songs of those old TV Westerns Rawhide and Paladin. Paladin may be known to many if not in the series but in movies particularly a coming of age movie STAND BY ME which had a compilation of memorable songs , notably its title song.

Rawhide was where Clint Eastwood learned the skills which he continued in the Spaghetti Westerns and has been used for universal acclaim in his directed movies.

There was a movie of PALADIN on the way but they don't make em like they usaed to and it has not got any further , maybe Clint will do something. The songs were almost the start to the TWANGY guitar sounds that came in the Spag Westerns. Duane Eddy has a few renditions of them in the you tubes above section.

I am particularly glad that no other pilgrims were in earshot to witness the many song renditions.

I guess it is a bit like this for many travellers. You know you get a song in your head and it keeps coming back subconsciously for a long time.
Do you have a favourite TV theme that you sing along to? I would think so....

BEYOND WARRINGA POOL -SPRINGBROOK NATIONAL PARK -Brisbane Bushwalkers activity

This walk is in the Gold Coast Hinterland on the last section of the Great Walk http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/great-walks-gold-coast-hinterland/index.html

It travels through rain forest and along Little nerang Creek ( gorges, creek crossings, pools and waterfalls)...

BEAUTIFUL

SPRINGWOOD RAINFOREST

LITTLE NERANG CREEK

WARRINGA POOL

Location
About 100km south of Brisbane

What's special
Spectacular waterfalls, lush rainforest, ancient trees, impressive views, exceptional ecological importance and natural beauty make this World Heritage-listed park an outstanding place to visit.




Getting to Springbrook plateau — Springbrook National Park
From Brisbane
Drive south on the Pacific Motorway and exit at Mudgeeraba (exit 79), and follow the Gold Coast-Springbrook Road. Springbrook plateau is 29km from Mudgeeraba.

ITS JUST NOT CRICKET

I heard this guy on the local ABC radio today. He is now in Turkey, 3 months on the road. He is aiming to be in Brisbane at the Gabba Cricket ground for the first test of the Ashes between Australia and England in November.

Pretty impressive motivation even though he said he was really into an adventure for a start before the cricket bug. I live 10minutes from the Gabba and would probably not as motivated to walk down there even though I am a cricket fan. In this case I would not be considered for the Barmy Army or the equivalent green and gold Aussie fana-atics.

Hope he has not heard of the English dramatic collapse in the third test in South Africa. Hey they drew the series and that's all they need to do to retain the ashes......ON YOUR BIKE CHAPS

FROM U TUBE INTRO

Below are some excerpts from an interview FSN London did recently with Oli Broom, who sets off from the UK in October, on his bike, with a cricket bat, for Australia.

His aim - to make it down under in time for the 2010 Ashes series, and to raise a hundred grand for the Lord's Taveners and the British Neurological Research Trust.

He tells us, among other things, about his route, his 'great friendship' with England captain Andy Strauss, and his personal reasons for wanting to support these two charities.

HOME AMONGST THE GUM TREES

Coolabine Ridge Cottages are situated on 500 acres in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland at Mapleton some two hours north of Brisbane .

This was a great place to just relax but also to do some varied day walks along the tracks through forests , hills and waterfalls..

The Sunshine Coast Great Walk passes right by the property and it is a 200metre walk to the track. From here it was a 2km walk to the third walkers camp , Thilba Thalba, which has been set up along the way. A further 2 km to the top of Mt Thilba Thalba which gave panoramic valley views.

We also completed smaller walks on the Mapleton Falls circuit and the longer circuit to the bottom and back of the Kondalilla Falls.

The Coolabine promo summed it up thus

THE GREAT WALKS OF QUEENSLAND
Discover the Sunshine Coast’s natural beauty on this 58km Great Walk through the Blackall Range. Experience some of the range’s most scenic areas: warm subtropical rainforest, tall open eucalypt forest and picturesque waterfalls.The Great Walk of the Sunshine Coast

NEVER TRULY LOST

KONDALILLA FALLS CIRCUIT- 5KM

NEW YEAR 2010 RESOLUTION

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

MAYA ANGELOU 2009

A Camino Spot in time Cruz de Ferro

We leftthe mountain village of Foncebadon in the pre dawn half dark. The sun arose as we approached Cruz de Ferro, the symbo;ic highest point on the Camino..

Our first sight of the top was of the sun's first rays on the iron cross at the top of the wooden pole. It gave a halo-like effect to the cross and was surreal like in appearance.

As we approached the cross there were approx 10 pilgrims on the stone mound surrounding the cross in thee half light.

There was absolute silence, a serene meditative silence as pilgrims were placing their stones ,( an age old symbolic pilgrim tradition where the stones were brought from their home to be placed at this highest point of the camino as an offering of penance and forgiveness).

They were standing like statues in a reflective or meditative stance. Heads bowed, heads watching the morning light arising across the mountains

The sun continued to rise as we joined the group in silence around the cross.

This moment lasted for the space of some minutes or so it seemed and then it was gone. Pilgrims started to talk to each other etc and new pilgrims arrived . That special moment had gone.

I reflected that this place would have special memories for most pilgrims but our unplanned arrival( we did not have a dawn visit in mind) was a special memory and one which I have returned to often.

SPOTS OF TIME

The Prelude:
'Spots of time'

There are in our existence spots of time,
Which with distinct pre-eminence retain
A renovating Virtue,
whence,... our minds
Are nourished and invisibly repaired

(Book XI, ls 258-278)

These lines of Wordsworth come back to me quite strongly in my reflective mood. I have probably personalised the meaning to give special attention to those 'spots of time' in my life that I often return to. Hence, I must apologise for my loose non literary reading of Wordsworth which I have interpreted in my own way.

The "spots" are usually positive places/times in the main. The place/experience/moment are often ' renovating' or I would say ' re-energising'. Other names I know can be given eg a colour place, positive focus,your mental cave, your workshed, your favourite place or whatever to suggest a place or time which gave something special. It is about remembering a time which lifted your spirit.

It is not for me an escape to the past or a wishful desire to return to the past but a ' spot of time' which indeed does nourish and restore the spirit.

Wordsworth says in The Prelude that such 'spots' are scattered everywhere.

I have a few such "spots"

Wordsworth reflects in a similar way at the end of
‘Waiting for Horses’:


All these were spectacles and sounds to which
I often would repair, and thence would drink
As at a fountain. And I do not doubt
That in this later time, when storm and rain
Beat on my roof at midnight, or by day
When I am in the woods, unknown to me
The workings of my spirit thence are brought