Tommythetravellingturtle

13/10/2024

65km (we got 75km?) from Angourie to Red Rock over 4 days. This was one of those ‘insta’ vs reality experiences. I imagined us strolling along the picturesque coastline, wearing my swimmers ready to take a dip at every rest-break and sipping hot chocolate in my sleeping bag while watching the sunrise. The 4 river crossings (3 requiring watercraft), beach campsites and café breakfasts prospects made it sound like the perfect spring-time hike....

65km (we got 75km?) from Angourie to Red Rock over 4 days. This was one of those ‘insta’ vs reality experiences. I imagined us strolling along the picturesque coastline, wearing my swimmers ready t…

05/10/2024

Yuraygir coastal walk - 65km (we got 75km?) from Angourie to Red Rock over 4 days.

This was one of those ‘insta’ vs reality experiences. I imagined us strolling along the picturesque coastline, wearing my swimmers ready to take a dip at every rest-break and sipping hot chocolate in my sleeping bag while watching the sunrise. The 4 river crossings (3 requiring watercraft), beach campsites and café breakfasts prospects made it sound like the perfect spring-time hike.

Don’t get me wrong – it was fun! I loved hiking in barefeet as we strolled along remote beaches (into a howling southerly). The trail was easy to follow, switching between sandy beaches, grassy paths and rocky headlands. However, the preceding east coast low caused some wild weather and rough seas that meant the ocean wasn’t coaxing me to swim and the cooler temps meant we snuggled into our tent a little earlier. Storms on day 2 dampened our spirits a little, but we were grateful that we had chosen the ‘back track’ option while at least provided some protection from the strong winds and torrential rain.
Adam’s parents met us at each of the river crossings with two kayaks, providing a fun way to get us and our packs across with a feeling of independence. Ma even brought us salad rolls for lunch (much better than my dry wraps).

After following the ‘coastal emu footprint’ markers from the signposted start at Angourie, it was almost an anti-climax to arrive in Red Rock after crossing the Corindi River and not find any markers or signs to say that we had completed our walk. It was a good adventure!

Day 1 – Angourie to Redcliff (Greycliff?) campground 15km
Day 2 – Redcliff to Illaroo campground 25km
Day 3 – Illaroo to Wooli 17km
Day 4 – Wooli to Red Rock 15km

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service AllTrails

P.S. the pies and smoothies at Minnie Water General Store & Cellars were so good we had to re-visit for breakfast on the way home.

09/07/2024

Kokoda Track - a 9-day rigorous thought-provoking adventure through the muddy jungle of Papua New Guinea.

The Track commands your attention as you navigate the slippery mud and tree roots. There is no such thing as flat on the map profile, only words such as ‘steep’ or ‘very steep’ written on both the inclines and declines. The scenery changes dramatically throughout and the dense jungle is interspersed with quaint little villages that seem to magically appear out of nowhere. Clear mountain creeks provide a way to cool down and revive your tired muscles.

The dramatic and sobering history of the track is important to acknowledge, and the stories and connections I had with this awesome group of people have inspired and energized me. Our PNG crew were by our side throughout the journey, sharing their culture, making sure we remained upright and teaching us valuable life-lessons. I tried to learn some ‘Pidgin’ and ‘Motu’ language but failed miserably, only managing one word – demdem (snail)!! 🐌

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the jungle of Papua New Guinea, the opportunity to disconnect from the outside world enabled me to be in the moment without distractions and just focus on putting one step in front of the other. The sense of achievement and memories of the sublime swimming locations will stay with me that’s for sure!!

Kokoda Spirit

23/10/2023

The Big Dance (Ironman World Championship Kona, Hawaii) 🌺

The excitement of pre-race events such as the Parade of Nations and the Underpants Run gave way to intense nerves as start time approached.
I was the last wave to start the 3.8km swim but once I got in the water I found my rhythm and to quote Dory ‘just kept swimming’. We swam over coral reefs and fish out around two boats before returning to the pier for transition 1.

I was happy to be on my bike and genuinely enjoyed the 180km of rolling hills, and picturesque scenery of black lava meeting the azure blue ocean. I did find the afternoon heat challenging and was conscious of my elevated body temperature and hydration balance.

Transition 2 was longer than planned as I tried to cool down and recover for a few minutes before heading out to run the marathon. The first 20km rolled by smoothly enough, past the town beaches and palm trees before heading out on the Queen K highway to the famous Energy Lab. From here it became a mental game to ignore the pain and motivate myself to keep moving.

Finally I reached the bright lights, music and red carpet, I found Adam for a victory hug and took it all in as I crossed under the archway. Super stoked to receive my medal for this iconic event. It wasn’t my fastest finish time, but one has to respect the course and I stuck with my race plan to achieve a solid result for Ironman number 10.

It takes a team to make this happen and I am beyond grateful to my support team. I have become a better athlete through this experience and will cherish the memories.

2023 Ironman World Championships Hawaii
2023 Ironman Australia
2022 Ironman Cairns
2022 Ironman Australia
2019 Ironman Australia
2018 Ironman New Zealand
2015 Ironman Zurich
2012 Ironman Australia
2011 Ironman Australia
2007 Ironman Australia

Newcastle Triathlon Club Just Dig Deeper Tri Coaching Team ZTO

09/07/2023

The Journey has begun! 🏊‍♀️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️🌺
Now that the euphoria has subsided, the hard work has begun. Feeling privileged to have received a slot to race at IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. This week I was invited on a live Zoom chat with Team ZTO and FulGaz to do a Kona course recon and meet some big names which made it feel real. Being sick has put me a little off my game but happy with 110km ride today. 14 weeks to go!
Al Grant

23/01/2023

The trail to Frenchmans Cap is a maze of tree roots, duckboard, enchanted forests, tree staircases and jagged rocks. There are lake views a plenty and two well kept mountain huts for refuge from the weather.
I was solo on the summit and the stunning 360 degrees views and array of wildflowers made me feel ‘close to the sky’.
The quartzite rock peaks were intimidating and awe-inspiring simultaneously. I had an oops with my phone climbing down one of the rock ledges but it was a small price to pay for the amazing experience.

Trip Notes:
We met people on the trail who running up and back in a single day (super-fit!) and others who were planning a slower pace over 4 days. We did 3 days with an 11 hour hike out from Tahune hut on the final day.

Most people slept in the huts but we opted for the peace and quiet of setting up our tent on one of the secluded tent platforms.

I questioned bringing my gaiters along and although i wore them on the 3rd day to protect from the wet foliage that encroaches on the track, I don’t think i would bother next time. Most of the really muddy sections of track have been updated with duckboard. I didn’t see any snakes.


gear from FIND YOUR FEET
Al Grant
phone saving screen protector from QUAD LOCK

15/01/2023

Bay of Fires and ‘those’ orange lichen rocks. Nearly lost Tommy when a rogue wave washed over but he hung on tight. Found the perfect swim spot.

12/01/2023

Honeymoon Bay would be more aptly named Stingray Bay. A zen paddle this morning with views of yesterday’s Mount Amos. So many stingrays and other marine life, what a way to start the day. Red Paddle Co Al Grant

06/01/2023

3 friends, 3 nights, 3 capes - what a great way to celebrate a birthday! Started with a boat ride and finished with a dip in the Southern Ocean (oh and a bit of hiking in between!). Three Capes Track Lee Norris Al Grant Julie Piskorz with gear from FIND YOUR FEET

01/11/2022

10 years ago we flew into the ‘world’s most dangerous airport’…The mountains are calling …

21/04/2022

FOMO Roadtrip - we hightailed it across the Hay Plains to the Barossa for wining and dining (and running of course). Drove along the picturesque Coorong waterway to the Big Lobster at Kingston SE and Cape Jaffa Lighthouse (more running here). The pinnacle of the trip was the Grampians where one can hike, climb and SUP to their hearts content. Big 💙 to our travel buddies, Marty and Mish who let us crash their party xoxo
NOTE: If you see a fish around Lake Fyans with an unusually large red fin - it’s probably mine 😕
Martin Anderson Michelle Anderson

16/04/2022

Wine making lesson today! Loved the stories, and the wine tasted amazing too!! Thanks so much Belinda 🍷The Cutting

21/01/2022

Ole Benjamin Boyd fancied himself to be an entrepreneur, he built a tower and planned a city (and did some other dodgy stuff)… but it all went a bit pear shaped and he had to bail out. The tower still remains and was our starting point of the Light to Light walk, which meanders around stunning headlands and across numerous creeks to Green Cape lighthouse where Mary Mckillop’s mother sadly perished in a shipwreck. We climbed the lighthouse and stayed in the converted telegraph station. I’m ready for history trivia questions now….!
, ,
, , , , read our full story here https://tommythetravellingturtle.com/2022/04/23/light-to-light-walk/

03/01/2022

I run past this pretty spot often, so today we explored it from a different perspective. Soo many swans and lots of fishies.

19/12/2021

SUP-Ski… my SUP is such a versatile piece of equipment. Had a bit of fun on wallis lake this morning. So many jellyfish! The boys caught a flathead and i caught nothing although i was more worried about ‘not’ catching my inflatable floatation device. Red Paddle Co Al Grant