We climbed 'Mt Everest' today ....

.... well, not quite lol. But we caught the chairlift up Mt Kosciuszko and then walked the 2 kms to the lookout.  My breathing at that altitude wouldn't let me go the extra 4 1/2 kms to the summit.

When we arrived at Thredbo where the only chairlift that is open during summer is located, it looked quite a climb just to where the chairlift goes, and we couldn't see beyond that.

It was quite busy, with a fair number of people catching the chairlift, and quite a few riding their mountain bikes at breakneck speed down the track that zig-zags down the side of the mountain.  Now I am not good with heights and when we caught the chairlift up 'The Nob' in Tasmania I had to reassure Nathan all the way up (and down again) that we were fine even though inside I was quite scared coming down.  So I wasn't sure how I'd enjoy this part.  But it was fine and I did indeed enjoy the trip up.  It was fascinating watching the bike riders zoom down the track underneath us.  I was surprised at their speed and wondered how often riders come a cropper on the track.  Afterwards our friends told us that when they went up the mountain the previous week one of the riders had indeed come off his bike and the mountain rescue team had to bring him down to the base where the ambulance was waiting. 

In some places you can see a track where people can actually walk up the whole mountain. There are little steps on the track, which make one realize that it is steeper than it looks in the photos.

 It was a pleasant ride up, travelling at a sedate pace.  The temperature certainly dropped the higher we went, and the wind was really strong too.  I had to hold on to my hat with both hands or it would have gone flying.

 
Where the chairlift stops is Eagles Rest Restaurant, at 1937 metres (6355feet) it is Australia's highest restaurant.  We left a visit there until later though, and started off on the track towards the summit.  We knew we wouldn't reach that far, we aren't fit enough for a 13km round trip with my breathing the way it is but we did aim for the lookout which is a 4km round trip.  

The track starts off as paving stones for some distance.

 Then after a while it is a mesh grid, built 20 years ago to protect the fragile alpine environment after the previous track became extremely eroded and damage to the flora was quite bad.  Now this grid allows passage over the boggy, marshy places and lets sunlight pass through to the ground, with some of the delicate plants growing from below right up to the grid.

After being sunburned twice during the previous week to the extent that I had blisters, I was wearing a proper hiking shirt over my t-shirt,to protect my neck and arms.  It was very cool and windy and I had trouble keeping my wide-brimmed hat on my head but that did make it easier for me to walk even if my breathing wasn't great by any means.

The landscape was typically alpine, lots of rocks and low-growing plants.I loved the little alpine flowers, again most of them just the size of a fingernail.

There were quite a few of these tiny butterflies too.  Each wing is also the size of my littlest fingernail.

There were lots of boggy areas under the grid, and many little or larger streams wending their way down too.  I really love the sound of trickling water, it is so relaxing and soothing.

Sometimes water appeared from the tiniest cracks and disappeared just as quickly too, but it was just one part of the many streams that eventually join together to make the river that we crossed and drove beside, down at Thredbo.  I found the going pretty tough after a while, because it was harder and harder to breathe but I kept using my Ventolin and finally got there.  Here is Peter at the lookout, elevation 2000metres (6562 feet).

From the lookout we could see several hardy souls on the track going up to the summit but had no desire to follow their example.  We will have another go sometime when we have been walking a lot more before camp.  I'd really like to reach the summit some day.  After we returned we were told that we had actually done the steepest part of the climb, it is only another 228 metres (748 feet) to the summit, but it is a long distance, another 4.5 kms 2.8 miles).  

The return 2kms didn't take nearly as long as the walk up -- strange, that lol.  By the time we were on the return trip there were lots of other people also returning, but they had done the whole trip to the summit.  We stopped at a stream near the end where a couple of guys were standing watching a red-bellied black snake among the rocks at the side of the water.  That's the distance I prefer snakes from me - several metres at a minimum.

We stopped at the Eagles Rest Restaurant for some lunch.  There is a really nice brass eagle in the restaurant, I'm sorry the photo isn't very good but the light coming in through the window made it hard to get a good one.  

By the way, they serve delicious meals and the best hot chocolate ever.  This is the view from the side door where the fire escape is.

We took a few more photos then set off for the trip down via chair lift.  As I said before, I was nervous about this but to my pleasure and surprise really enjoyed it this time.  It seemed a long way down at first

but it was a pleasant descent and over too soon.  We passed quite a few people with their bikes attached to the ski holder at the back of their chair lift.  I joked to one couple that they were cheating - they should have ridden up the mountain as well as going down but they weren't convinced for some strange reason!

Down in Thredbo we paused a moment to admire a life-size sculpture of an emu and his baby (yes, his - it's the father bird who raises the chicks)

- again, the sun made it difficult to get a good photo.  And next to the emus there are a couple of boards with large chess pieces and draughts (in America you call them checkers) pieces.  The chess pieces were about a metre tall.

We had quite a walk to where Peter had parked the car once we reached the bottom but again that was pleasant, a lot of it was beside the Thredbo River.  

And there were nice flowers as well, growing wild.  Again, because of the altitude each flower was tiny.

We certainly achieved our 10,000 steps today!!  And that's without the ordinary walking around before and after our visit to Thredbo.

On the way back from Thredbo to Jindabyne we stopped to have a look at this interesting sculpture, just sitting there in the middle of nowhere.  We had passed it before but there were people climbing on it so we didn't stop that time.  It is huge - I photographed Peter standing beside it for perspective.

Altogether it was a really good day and I'm glad we did it even if we didn't attempt the summit.  Next time maybe ;).  Maybe.

Up close and personal with some kangaroos

After Sunday I was even more sunburned on the back of the neck and around the shoulders where my blouse hadn't covered the skin.  In fact it formed lots of blisters so I kept out of the sun for Monday except for a walk around the Village site.  The people who erect the big tents that we had our meetings in for Camp came and took down the vinyl coverings and we watched them take them down on the tent nearest us.  They are all 20 metres x 40 metres so it is quite a procedure and interesting to watch.

On Tuesday we drove to Cooma, where my Great Aunt used to live.  I wanted to have a look at her house, and to visit the lolly shop that is quite well renowned.  Sadly though the lolly shop closed down last week so no sweet treat for us.

However I wanted to buy some thread and called in at a fabric store - isn't it wonderful how these still exist in small towns?  They are a dying breed in big cities I'm afraid.  While getting the thread I also saw some pretty Christmas fabrics in fat quarters that I will use for a Christmas project sometime.

That afternoon we walked up to the outdoor chapel on the hill above the village.  This is a wonderful setting, not too strenuous a climb up the hill and with nice views.

Outdoor chapel on the hillside

Looking out from the chapel, Lake Eucambine in the distance on the left

Peter was experimenting with his macro lens 

Then we wandered around the chalets (there are 12 of these)

Some of the chalets overlooking the whole area

and came across part of the mob of kangaroos again - about 20 of them this time. This young one was really sweet.

On the way back to our van it started to rain, and that continued steadily all night and most of yesterday (Wednesday).   We had a lazy day while it was teeming but it stopped in late afternoon and we went for a wander around the main lodge, along all the dormitories the again around the chalets.  Then we went down on the large green where we had the Fair on Sunday and tried to get some photos of the kangaroos down there.  They kept scattering so we couldn't get them all together.

So what are you doing down here with us?

I'll just keep washing my face and pretend I can't see you.

The alpaccas came to the fence to visit in the afternoon, and at dusk Peter was sitting in a chair under our caravan awning, when a very large buck (male roo) decided that he wanted to chew on the nice green grass in front of the van.  He was about 6 feet away from Peter and quite unconcerned about his presence.  These are the Eastern grey kangaroos, not the big red ones we have in central Australia but this buck was large.  I certainly wouldn't want to tangle with him!  We had the door open and Marilyn and I watched him while he ate his fill.  During the night we had more roo visitors and they left their calling cards on the green mesh we have outside the van.  We love having the wildlife around us, and it is probably good news that the wombat that was recuperating in one of the storm water pipes is now well enough to move on, even if it is disappointing that we haven't seen him.  This is a lovely place to stay and I think we'll stay on again after next year's big camp.

Sunday and a visit to Charlotte's Pass

On Sunday we watched almost everyone pack up and leaver, and when we had the place almost to ourselves we moved the caravan up near our friends' van, putting it at right angles so we have a nice area to congregate.

Then after lunch we set off for Charlotte's Pass, another ski resort place in winter.  Our directions said to take the road through Perisher Valley, and at the end of the road is Charlotte's Pass.  So that's what we did and so did many other people - the parking area was full and lots of cars were parked up and down the road.  But there weren't many people in sight - most were hiking off along the long tracks to different places.  We just went a few hundred feet up the hill to the lookout.  From there we could see several mountains in the distance and we took several shots that I will eventually put together for a panoramic scene if I can.  For here I will show them individually and reduced in resolution.

From this distance the mountains don't look very big but the one  second from the left in the top photo is Australia's highest mountain, Mt Kosciuszko.  At 2228 metres  (7,309 feet) it isn't Everest by any means but it's our highest.  Our mountain ranges are said to be very old and worn down.

The  snow gums are all twisted and gnarled with the pressure from wind and snow.  Their trunks have a lovely striated pattern on them, and when they are damp and the sun is shining on them they are beautiful.

On our way back down towards Jindabyne, we stopped at part of the Snowy River Scheme to look at a huge surge chimney.  It wasn't very attractive but the view itself was, with a good outlook over part of the huge Lake Eucambine formed when they flooded the area to form the catchment for the Scheme.

This is just a tiny bit of Lake Eucambene.  Whole villages were flooded to make this water catchment area

Pretty scene - glimpse of the lake through the snow gums.

There were two white-backed magpies singing away in part of one of the gums there.  Their song was beautiful as they carolled away.

Further on we stopped at this area to take more photos of the little streams that chuckle along and eventually form the mighty Snowy River.

This is part of the early section of the Snowy River- the sound it makes it so peaceful

There are hillsides covered with silver trees that shine brilliantly in the sunshine.  They are where a bushfire has obviously gone through and killed a lot of them, though many are showing signs of new green growth.

 Among the native plants and flowers was a fair bit of Patterson's Curse.  It is a pretty flower, brought out to Australia by early British settlers to remind them of home.  But it has become a noxious weed here in Australia.  Shame.

Patterson's Curse - a pretty flower but a noxious weed in Australia.  Brought out by early British settlers to remind them of home.

There were lots of these alpine daisies - can you see the tiny butterfly on the one on the right?  It is about the size of my thumbnail.

These pretty bell-shaped flowers are also tiny, about the size of a fingernail.

As we entered the Village again on our return a mob of around 40 kangaroos was grazing all along the road in.  They are used to people and just stood and looked at us as we passed, except for one little joey which hopped into its mother's pouch and hid.  It is always comical to see their little legs sticking out of the pouch and the rest of them hidden.   But eventually after a couple of tries this little one was able to get its legs inside too.  No photos of this particular one but I have lots of others because there are kangaroos everywhere here at the village and we see many of them every day.

More to tell you, later.

Holiday in the Snowy Mountains

Well here we are again at the Adventist Alpine Village at Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains.  Of course being in Australia it is summer at the moment and it hasn't got cold enough for snow - though it often can do so.  And the long-range weather prediction was for cold weather so, in the 41degC heat we were experiencing in Sydney before we left, I was trying to pack warm clothes - it nearly did my head in choosing winter clothing when I had perspiration running down my face and dripping off my nose whenever I moved!  As it has turned out, I haven't needed much in the way of warm clothes after all.

We came away to the South New South Wales Conference Big Camp - our church has divided Australia up into nine areas called Conferences for administrative purposes.  We live in the Greater Sydney area, but that conference doesn't hold Camps any more so this is the second time we've attended South New South Wales (SNSW) Camp.  It is quite a small camp, only about 700 attending this year so there is plenty of chance to meet people from other churches and get to know them or to catch up again with people we've met before.

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This is a view of part of the campground from Round Hill, which is the hill that some of the campground is set on.  Our friend Richard took this photo when they climbed to the top of the hill one morning.  I haven't climbed it yet because I haven't done much walking this year  - been really lazy since I had surgery in December 2014.  I hope to climb up there before we leave though and you will probably hear my shouts of triumph when I do - that's if I have any breath left at all.  The altitude is affecting my breathing a bit.

Here is an overview of one side of the camp.  The large tent on the left is where all the adult meetings were held, the one on the right is the teen tent.  Tents for youth,  juniors, primary, kindergarten and cradle roll were in other places.

Closer view, showing the tennis court - our friends were camped on the left corner of the tennis court and we are third to the right of the tennis court.

In the paddock behind the tennis court there are alpacas, and often several little ponies.  If you continue  to the right down the road above you come to another paddock with a pond on it, and the next paddock has some horses.

And of course there are kangaroos - they come around the camp at night and one night I saw one hopping along near the big tent even while there were still several hundred people in there.  He stopped and looked in through the door as though curious about what was going on.  I wished I had had my phone with me that night to take a photo but it was probably too dark.

It's quite a steep climb to the lodge where they have meals.  We bought lunch each day so I had some  good exercise climbing that hill each day.  Here is a view looking at the main lodge complex from the road (photos from the internet) and I've already showed you photos of inside that complex a couple of years ago.

Front of main lodge, central section

Lodge showing dining room and kitchen on left of main section

The lodge has three stories, with dining room, kitchen, office, lounge and a multi-purpose room on the ground floor, a large lounge/conference room on the first floor and a small prayer room on the third floor.  That's where the youth hang out during camp - it sounds good to say to their parents 'we're going to the prayer room' but it is really a hang-out spot for them ;)

To the right of the central area is a long line of dormitary-type rooms, and a camp kitchen at the end.  There are also some chalets on the rise overlooking the camp area in the photos above.  Here are some of them.

We arrived on Friday 15th January and set up in time for the evening meal and opening Sabbath meeting.  Sabbath was an enjoyable day with two Pastors being ordained in the afternoon, then a social evening that night.

On Sunday it was Village Fun Fair time and down on the village square as it is called, were numerous booths or tents set up with lots to do.  There was an especially long line at the place where you could throw tennis balls at a mark set on a wire background and if it hit hard enough a bucket of icy water was tipped onto the volunteer sitting on the chair below.  The long line was composed of people who wanted to be dunked as well as those who wanted to try and dunk them :)

Our son Nathan and I tried on some of the props at the photography tent and our friend took some photos of us, we didn't have the photographer take them because there was a line-up for that too, though the official photographer who was taking shots for the Conference news magazine took some too.

What about this hat Nathan?

The glasses add a nice touch

These glasses are hard to keep on your nose!

 We also had a couple of goes on the hay-ride, which was fun especially when the trailer went over the rocks on the side of the narrow track.

there was a tent there selling the most delicious ice-creams, milkshakes and spiders for a very low sum and huge slices of watermelon for a song too.  The watermelon was grown organically just down the road and it was one of the nicest I've had this season.

After the day of activities we all found we were sunburned despite putting on sunscreen.  The altitude here makes it much easier to get burned, apparently.

The week following was full of meetings, socializing and enjoyment.  We bought lunch each day and enjoyed the delicious food - so nice not to have to  cook your main meal for the day.  Then we just had something light for teatime.

We are staying on here after Camp finishes, to have a bit of a holiday.  I am hoping to do some walking around the area to see it in the summertime.  We've visited the snowfields during winter, years ago, but of course things look so different when they are bare of snow.