Gavin Terrill's Blog

The Christmas Kangaroo

It's that time of the year again and I'm looking forward to heading towards the warmer side of the planet for 3 weeks - catching up with family and friends. The highlight of the trip this year will be a week long cruise in The Whitsundays (a group of islands at the bottom end of the Great Barrier Reef) aboard Pacific Sunrise.

I'm hoping (hopping?) to avoid the Christmas Kangaroo:

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Top End Trip

It's all I can do to stop thinking about my trip to the "Top End" that I leave for in a couple of days. There will be a group of six sport fishing aficionados camped out in the Cobourg Peninsula, Arnhem land. Not many people know about this part of the world. It is remote, even by Australian standards (about 550 km east of Darwin). The land is owned and managed by the Aboriginals, and only 1500 visitors are allowed in each year. In addition to the world class fishing, I'm looking forward to seeing the wildlife there: marine turtles, dugong and saltwater crocs abound. I'm also hoping to find some time to visit the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park.

My itinerary is crazy: I leave Toronto at 4 pm on Tuesday and arrive at 6 am on Thursday in Sydney, by way of LA and Honolulu. Since my flight to Darwin leaves at 7 pm Thursday night, I decided to do a day trip down to Canberra to see my parents, coming back at 5 pm to catch up with my Sydney friends for a couple of hours. I finally get in to Darwin at 1 am,  only to have to get up at 6 am when we set off for Wiligi (the homestead where we are camping). It wouldn't be so bad if I could actually sleep on planes...

It seems appropriate that I will travel half way around the world to visit this place. In Toronto my working time is spent thinking about building great software, with  the attendant responsibilities of deadlines, decision making, herding cats, and trying to make  the complex simple. In contrast Wiligi is a rugged, peaceful, undeveloped and unspoiled piece of paradise. There are no facilities to speak off, and certainly no phone, email or internet access;  my daily routine will be dictated by the prevailing winds, and ebb and flow of the tides. Mmmm... I can feel those shoulders muscles loosening up already.

Update: The photos are here.

Cultural Cringe

Ow... my freaking ears! I wish this new crop of Aussie female singers would stop sounding like crusty old gumboot wearing shielas whose idea of a good night out is having a big piss up at the Yass B&S. Oh wait... that sounds all right. No, what I mean is that it is your nasal passages are useful for breathing with, not singing through.

Boxing Day

Beautiful day for a yacht race. Sydney-Hobart of course, which is often described as the most grueling ocean yacht race in the world. Nicorette was first out of the heads this year. They are expecting some big seas, as a southerly is coming through. They should be passing Eden about the same time as I'm down that way for a bit of fishing on Twofold bay. Looking forward to taking a couple of days off and getting into a few kingies, or perhaps hitting the Aussie bass for some catch & release action.

Meanwhile, time to relax, watch the cricket and take the dog down to the river for a swim.

Annual Christmas Trip - 2004

Well, I'm off of Australia today for my annual Christmas trip home to see my family, friends and dog. As I mentioned before, I'm looking forward to catching up with Pauly & Liz to see how their business is going.

My friend Jacko and I will catch up and settle our beer bet - he will owe me $2 (AUD) as of Jan 1, as I will have managed to go "all year without a beer".  He and Meg have finished renovating their house and have sold it. Thankfully they don't move out for quite a while so I'll finally get a chance to see the finished product.

Last night my I was treated to a fine dinner by Nicole to celebrate Xmas and my birthday. The best birthday celebration I've had for years - what a classy lady! The presents (yes - plural can you believe) could not have been better - Thank you!

It's not all fun though. I'll be gone for a month, but I have a ton of work to get through. Oh well, at least when I take  break I'll be able to enjoy the sun, and reflect on how it would feel if it were -2°C  and snowy outside...