What this site is about

We are two not-quite grey nomads who have retired / changed careers / entered the third phase of our lives - whatever you want to call it. The one great change is to regain mastery of our time and have the chance to live our dreams. The world is a beautiful place and beautiful places should be experienced slowly - there is no better way to do this than walking. This site has been set up to document a series of walks and travel to different parts of the globe that we have done over the past 18 years. It is primarily for our own records and memories, but anyone who might find it of interest is welcome to browse.

There are now 35 photodiaries covering 9700 km of walks, plus 1700 km of cycling, 750 km of sailing, 500 km on the water by canoe, kayak or raft and the odd trips by other means, with detailed descriptions and over 18000 photos - take your time and enjoy.

Random Pages

Can't decide where to visit. Take a mystery tour by clicking on the image. Who knows where you will end up - there are over 340 destinations. To return to this page again, click on "Nomad Home".

What other readers have said:

Milestones

In October 2012 these diaries passed half a million page views - Thanks to all the readers who have passed on compliments and comments and given us the incentive to keep writing.

In January 2014 this website was included in the web archive Pandora by the National Library of Australia.

  • The Great South Coast Walk

    The Great South Coast Walk

    Great South Coast Walk

    A 3-month journey of self discovery made between February and May 2004; time to walk, time to stay, time to contemplate. This diary describes a 630 km walk down the south coast of New South Wales from Sydney to Mallacoota. In our view it is one of the most diverse and picturesque stretches of coastline in the world.

    Click menu or image to enter.

  • Tramping in New Zealand

    Tramping the Land of the Long White Cloud

    Tramping in New Zealand

    Describes 26 tramps covering 1200 km in New Zealand, walked between September 2004 and April 2005. These include all 8 "Great Walks of New Zealand" and cover a range of landscapes, from alpine ridges and deep glacial valleys to lush beech forest and isolated and rugged coastlines.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • The Great Sandy Walk

    The Great Sandy Walk

    Great Sandy Walk

    A 230 km walk from the top of Fraser Island to Noosa in November 2005, exploring the landscapes of the world's largest sand island and the nearby Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim


    Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim

    Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim

    At last the Himalayas - the holy grail of trekkers! Describes three treks totalling 200 km, walked during April and May 2006; one along the Singalila Ridge between India and Nepal, and two in Sikkim, the Goeche-La Trek and a trek to the Green Lake wilderness near Kangchenjunga.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walking the South-West Corner



    Walking the South-West Corner

    Walking the South-West Corner

    Checks out some of the walks and the wildflowers in the southwest of Western Australia during October and November 2006; describes 380 km of tracks, including the Cape to Cape Track, the last section of the Bibbulmun Track from Walpole to Albany, and several day walks in the Stirling Ranges and Cape Le Grand National Parks.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Viaje en Los Andes




    Viaje en Los Andes

    Viaje en Los Andes

    Describes over 850 km of treks and shorter hikes in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, plus the odd trip by bike, 4WD and boat, as we wend our way northwards up the Andean chain and then follow it back to the tip of Patagonia between March and December 2007.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Antarctica: the Last Continent





    Antarctica: the Last Continent

    Antarctica: the Last Continent

    Journey by boat from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula - an 11 day voyage made in December 2007 to discover the ice, snow and fascinating wildlife of the silent continent; includes landings on offshore islands and the Antarctic continent.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walking the High Country






    Walking the High Country

    Walking the High Country

    Describes walks in the Alpine National Parks of Australia, including the 215 km northern section of the Australian Alpine Walking Track in April 2008, walks in the Mts Hotham and Bogong area and the The Kosciuszko Lakes Walk, Australia's best one-day alpine walk.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • The Great Ocean Walk and more







    The Great Ocean Walk ... and more

    Great Ocean Walk

    A 230 km walk from Torquay to the Twelve Apostles, Victoria, through forest and heathland, along cliff and beach on the southern edge of the Australian continent. Joins the Surf Coast Walk and the Great Ocean Walk with a link on forest tracks, beach, rock platforms and a bit of roadside to form one long and really great ocean walk.

    Also includes a description of the 59km Wilson's Promontory Grand Circuit and a 60km walk along the Wilderness Coast in the far east of Victoria.

    Click menu or image to enter.

  • Treks and Tourism in Vietnam








    Treks and Tourism in Vietnam

    Trekking and Tourism in Vietnam

    Combines some classic tourism to archaeological sites, cities and other attractions, with over 100 km of treks, as we travel by plane, train, car, boat and on foot to sample the superb landscapes and visit the hill tribes of Vietnam in December 2008 and January 2009. Includes Angkor Wat in Cambodia and a dash of skiing in Hokkaido, Japan, for additional flavour.

    Click menu or image to enter.

  • North by Northwest in Australia









    North by Northwest in Australia

    The Wild West of Australia

    A 6-week trip undertaken during May-June 2009 in a 4x4 bushcamper from Darwin to Perth, visiting some of the remote and unspoilt areas of Australia's northwest. Explores the gorges, rivers, isolated beaches and other features of the rugged and ancient landscapes of the Kimberley, Pilbara and Coral Coast by car, canoe and on foot.

  • Tour du Mont Blanc










    Tour du Mont Blanc

    tour du mont blanc

    With almost 170 km of track and 11,000 m of climbing and descending, the Tour de Mont Blanc is one of the great treks of the world. This describes a 12-day circuit in France, Italy and Switzerland walked during June 2010, passing through the superb alpine scenery that surrounds the highest point in western Europe.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • A Pilgrimage to Europe











    A Pilgrimage to Europe

    walking europe

    A selection of Europe's best known tracks, walked in May-July 2010. This describes almost 600 km of walking, including three sections of the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain and some more secular walkers' pilgrimages in the Cinque Terre and Dolomites of Italy.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Trekking in Turkey












    Trekking in Turkey

    trekking turkey

    An 8-week trip to Turkey in May-July 2011 sampling some of the trekking possibilities in the mountains, valleys and shorelines of Anatolia. This describes over 300km of walks including sections of The Lycian Way and St Paul Trail, plus tracks in Cappadocia, Taurus Mountains and Kackar Mountains. It also includes a blue cruise along the Mediterranean Coast.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walking the Urban Fringe













    Walking the Urban Fringe

    urban fringes

    An exploration of the intersection between the natural and the man-made while walking the landscapes of the urban fringe. Currently includes the brand new 140km long Canberra Centenary Trail around Australia's capital, the Great Sydney Coastal Walk, the Wiradjuri Trail in the NSW country city of Wagga Wagga, the City to Sea Walk in Wellington, New Zealand, and a walk along the seaboard of Vancouver, Canada.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Bushwalking in Tasmania














    Bushwalking in Tasmania

    tasmania

    An ongoing series of descriptions and photos of well-known and lesser known walks in the wilderness of Tasmania - includes the Ducane Range, Cuvier Valley, part of the South Coast Track and Southern Ranges (walked in February 2012). It also has a description of the iconic Overland Track (written from memories of 12 years ago).

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Kokoda Track















    Kokoda Track

    kokoda

    A 7-day trek on the iconic 96km jungle track that crosses the Owen Stanley Range of Papua-New Guinea; in the footsteps of the heroes of the Kokoda Campaign. Walked in July 2012.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Hiking in Canada
















    Hiking in Canada

    canada

    A sampler of the hiking possibilities in Canada - 400km of trails walked from August to October 2012, starting from the waveswept Pacific Coast to the rugged peaks and lakes of the Rocky Mountains, and finishing amongst the magnificent colours of the eastern forests in autumn.

    Includes a bonus description of walking the Great Wall of China during a stopover on our return.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • The Balkans and beyond

















    The Balkans and beyond

    canada

    After 3 years we returned in May-August 2013 to sample more of the marvellous European landscapes - this time heading east to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, the mountains of Albania and Bulgaria and the Julian Alps of Slovenia. These pages contain descriptions of over 450km of trekking, as well as almost 500km of cycling in Croatia and down the Danube Valley, and a trip by boat along the Dalmatian coast.

    While the multi-day walks are in the Balkans, there are also descriptions of some lovely day-walks in the very different landscapes of Germany's Black Forest and the Pennine Alps of Switzerland.

    Click on image to enter.

  • Iceland - land of fire and ice


















    Iceland - land of fire and ice

    canada

    This is the cream (or should I say ice-cream) on the cake of our return visit to Europe. Iceland, with its wild landscapes, glaciers and volcanoes is one of those places of the imagination. It is time to make it real for us, as we hike the famous Laugarvegur Trail and sample a few other regions during September 2013.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Larapinta Trail



















    Larapinta Trail - east to west

    canada

    June and July 2014

    Australia's iconic desert trek. Join us as we follow this 230km trail along the rugged ridges, narrow gorges and spinifex grasslands of the McDonnell Ranges in the red centre of this continent.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walks in North-eastern Australia




















    Walks in North-eastern Australia

    canada

    July-August 2014 and July-August 2020

    Descriptions of several multi-day and day walks in Queensland and northern NSW - including the Thorsborne Trail in the tropical paradise of Hinchinbrook Island, the Ngaro Sea Trail in the famous Whitsunday Islands (listed as a "Great Walk" but more sailing than hiking) and the Yuraygir Coastal Track. Some further coastal and subtropical rainforest walks were added in 2020.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Blue Mountains Walking





















    Blue Mountains Walking

    canada

    2014 on

    An ongoing collection of walks made in the Blue Mountains - arguably Australia's premier bush-walking region. Starts with an historic walk, a bit of canyoning and a classic cross-valley walk in the northern section.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Cherry Blossom Walking Japan






















    Cherry Blossom Walking in Japan

    canada

    March-April 2015

    A 7-day bike ride in Kyushu, and a 7-day trek along an ancient buddhist pilgrimage trail, plus other shorter walks to explore the beauty of Japan in cherry blossom season.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walking South Australia























    Walking South Australia

    canada

    September-October 2015 and March-April 2021

    Describes walks at the northern and southern ends of the Heysen Trail, Australia's longest walking track - a contrast between the rugged mountains of of the Flinders Ranges and the wild coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Also includes an exploration of wilderness walking possibilities on Kangaroo Island. Later additions include kayaking on the Murray and its anabranches at Chowilla, plus day walks in the Southern Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula coastline and Arkaroola in the arid north.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Scandinavia and the Baltics
























    Scandinavia and the Baltics

    canada

    July-October 2016

    Describes a series of multi-day and day walks exploring the wild landscapes of Norway, Sweden and Finland, plus cycle trips in Sweden, kayaking in Poland and visits to the capitals of the countries bordering the Baltic Sea.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Franklin River Rafting

























    Franklin River Rafting

    franklin_river

    February 2017

    Describes a 10-day rafting trip down one of Australia's last wild rivers, exploring the heart of the Tasmanian wilderness with the added frisson of some serious white water sections. Includes a day-walk up to the neighbouring ridge-line with superb views of Frenchmans Cap, the iconic SW Tasmanian peak.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Great South West Walk


























    Great South West Walk

    greatsouthwestwalk

    November 2017

    Describes a 14-day adventure on this 250 km long journey in western Victoria undertaken in November 2017. Setting out from the town of Nelson, the first ten days were hiked, along isolated beaches, around the cliffs of capes and headlands and deep in the forests of the Cobobboonee National Park. The circuit was completed by canoeing the last for days down the Glenelg River. Includes a bonus of some day-walks in the Grampians.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Central America and Cuba



























    Central America and Cuba

    central america

    Jan-Feb 2018

    Describes an eight-week trip - five weeks on an adventure tour through Central America followed by two weeks doing the same in Cuba (a bucket list destination). Normally, we travel independently, so this was a novelty for us. The mix is more tourism than walking, which also makes this photodiary a little different to others. We finish with a week of sailing in the Caribbean - the icing on a very lovely travel cake.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Southern Africa and Seychelles




























    Southern Africa and the Seychelles

    southern africa

    Sep-Oct 2018

    Describes an seven-week trip - arriving in time for a bit of walking in the west cape of South Africa, before taking a camping trek through the deserts of Namibia and the game parks of Botswana to reach Victoria Falls, one of natural wonders of the world. Finally, a bit of sailing amongst the tropical islands and reefs of The Seychelles provides an excellent way to wind down.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Eastern Europe by bike and foot





























    Eastern Europe by bike and foot

    eastern europe

    Jul-Sep 2019

    Describes a five-week trip where we alternate between foot and bicycle to ride down the Danube through Austria, Hungary and Serbia, and hike in the dramatic High Tatra Mountains of Slovakia and the mysterious Transylvanian mountains of Romania.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walking Tour of Morocco






























    Walking Tour of Morocco

    morocco

    Sep-Oct 2019

    Describes a four-week trip combining walking (trekking in the Atlas Mountains, day-walks in the Rif Mountains, along the Atlantic Coast and in the desert) with more classical tourism visiting the well-known cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fez, Meknes and Marrakech.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Great South Coast Walk Revisited






























    Great South Coast Walk Revisited

    southcoast

    March 2021 to December 2022

    We first walked the 650 km down the south coast of New South Wales, from Sydney to Mallacoota, in 2004. In recent years, there has been growing interest in developing this walk into a formal entity to promote the natural features and beauty of the region. As part of this, we decided to see whether the walk could be sliced in into several , roughly week-long group adventures, that could be easily done by bushwalking clubs or even tourist operators. In March 2021, we did the first such stage, followed by Stage 2 in April 2022, Stage 3 in October 2022 and Stage 4 in December 2022.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Covid Roadtrips






























    Covid Roadtrips

    covid

    March-April 2021 and July-September 2021

    Describes walks, cycling trips and canoeing trips made when we were able to escape during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020/21. The first trip to South Australia includes canoeing on the Murray River, plus day walks in the Southern Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula coastline and Arkaroola in the arid north. Some months later we were able to head north for more walking and canoeing in far north Queensland and the Northern Territory (including the Jatbula Track), and in the Red Centre. Finally it was back to South Australia for a flight over Lake Eyre and some walking and cycling on the Fleurieu Peninsula.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Reef and Rainforest


































    Reef and Rainforest

    covid

    June-July 2022

    Describes walks, kayaking and snorkelling trips as we head slowly up the east coast of Northern Australia in June and July 2022 to explore parts of the Great Berrier Reef and its islands and wander through the remnant stands of tropical rainforest.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Western Europe by bike and foot


































    Western Europe by bike and foot

    covid

    June-July 2023

    Describes a nine-week trip to several Atlantic Coast countries of Europe during May-July 2023 - alternating between foot and bicycle to walk along the coast of Cornwall, the highlands and islands of Scotland, the Picos de Europa of northern Spain and the Pyrenees, interspersed with cycling trips along Hadrian's Wall in England and the coast of Bretagne in France. After all that, a week of repose in an old stone cottage the Cevenne region of southern France, coupled with a canoe trip down the Herault River, seemed the ideal way to finish this adventure.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Magical Mystery Tour


































    Magical Mystery Tour

    Random Pages

    Try your luck by clicking the image. Who knows where you will end up - there are over 180 destinations. To return to this page again, click on "Home" in the menu bar of the page that you visit.

    Alternatively, use the search box below to see if there is information on a particular location that interests you.

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What this site is about

We are two not-quite grey nomads who have recently retired / changed careers / entered the third phase of our lives - whatever you want to call it. The one great change is to regain mastery of our time and have the chance to live our dreams. The world is a beautiful place and beautiful places should be experienced slowly - there is no better way to do this than walking. TThis site has been set up to document a series of walks and travel to different parts of the globe that we have done over the past 18 years. It is primarily for our own records and memories, but anyone who might find it of interest is welcome to browse.

There are now 35 photodiaries covering 9700 km of walks, plus 1700 km of cycling, 750 km of sailing, 500 km on the water by canoe, kayak or raft and the odd trips by other means, with detailed descriptions and over 18000 photos - take your time and enjoy.

Random Pages

Can't decide where to visit. Take a mystery tour by clicking on the image. Who knows where you will end up - there are over 340 destinations. To return to this page again, click on "Nomad Home".

  • The Great South Coast Walk

    South Coast Walk

    Great South Coast Walk

    A 3-month journey of self discovery made between February and May 2004; time to walk, time to stay, time to contemplate. This diary describes a 630 km walk down the south coast of New South Wales from Sydney to Mallacoota. In our view it is one of the most diverse and picturesque stretches of coastline in the world.

    Click on image to enter.

  • Tramping in New Zealand

    Tramping the Land of the Long White Cloud

    Tramping in New Zealand

    Describes 26 tramps covering 1200 km in New Zealand, walked between September 2004 and April 2005. These include all 8 "Great Walks of New Zealand" and cover a range of landscapes, from alpine ridges and deep glacial valleys to lush beech forest and isolated and rugged coastlines.

    Click on image to enter.

  • The Great Sandy Walk

    The Great Sandy Walk

    Great Sandy Walk

    A 230 km walk from the top of Fraser Island to Noosa in November 2005, exploring the landscapes of the world's largest sand island and the nearby Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park.

    Click on image to enter.

  • Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim

    Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim

    Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim

    At last the Himalayas - the holy grail of trekkers! Describes three treks totalling 200 km, walked during April and May 2006; one along the Singalila Ridge between India and Nepal, and two in Sikkim, the Goeche-La Trek and a trek to the Green Lake wilderness near Kangchenjunga.

    Click on image to enter.

  • Walking the South-West Corner

    Walking the South-West Corner

    Walking the South-West Corner

    Checks out some of the walks and the wildflowers in the southwest of Western Australia during October and November 2006; describes 380 km of tracks, including the Cape to Cape Track, the last section of the Bibbulmun Track from Walpole to Albany, and several day walks in the Stirling Ranges and Cape Le Grand National Parks.

    Click on image to enter.

  • Viaje en Los Andes

    Viaje en Los Andes

    Viaje en Los Andes

    Describes over 850 km of treks and shorter hikes in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, plus the odd trip by bike, 4WD and boat, as we wend our way northwards up the Andean chain and then follow it back to the tip of Patagonia between March and December 2007.

  • Antarctica: the Last Continent

    Antarctica: the Last Continent

    Antarctica: the Last Continent

    Journey by boat from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula - an 11 day voyage made in December 2007 to discover the ice, snow and fascinating wildlife of the silent continent; includes landings on offshore islands and the Antarctic continent.

  • Walking the High Country

    Walking the High Country

    Walking the High Country

    Describes walks in the Alpine National Parks of Australia, including the 215 km northern section of the Australian Alpine Walking Track in April 2008, walks in the Mts Hotham and Bogong area and the The Kosciuszko Lakes Walk, Australia's best one-day alpine walk.

    Click on image to enter.

  • The Great Ocean Walk and more

    The Great Ocean Walk ... and more

    Great Ocean Walk

    A 230 km walk from Torquay to the Twelve Apostles, Victoria, through forest and heathland, along cliff and beach on the southern edge of the Australian continent. Joins the Surf Coast Walk and the Great Ocean Walk with a link on forest tracks, beach, rock platforms and a bit of roadside to form one long and really great ocean walk.

    Also includes a description of the 59km Wilson's Promontory Grand Circuit and a 60km walk along the Wilderness Coast in the far east of Victoria.

  • Treks and Tourism in Vietnam

    Treks and Tourism in Vietnam

    Trekking and Tourism in Vietnam

    Combines some classic tourism to archaeological sites, cities and other attractions, with over 100 km of treks, as we travel by plane, train, car, boat and on foot to sample the superb landscapes and visit the hill tribes of Vietnam in December 2008 and January 2009. Includes Angkor Wat in Cambodia and a dash of skiing in Hokkaido, Japan, for additional flavour.

    Click on image to enter.

  • North by Northwest in Australia

    North by Northwest in Australia

    The Wild West of Australia

    A 6-week trip undertaken during May-June 2009 in a 4x4 bushcamper from Darwin to Perth, visiting some of the remote and unspoilt areas of Australia's northwest. Explores the gorges, rivers, isolated beaches and other features of the rugged and ancient landscapes of the Kimberley, Pilbara and Coral Coast by car, canoe and on foot.

    Click on image to enter.

  • Tour du Mont Blanc

    Tour du Mont Blanc

    tour du mont blanc

    With almost 170 km of track and 11,000 m of climbing and descending, the Tour de Mont Blanc is one of the great treks of the world. This describes a 12-day circuit in France, Italy and Switzerland walked during June 2010, passing through the superb alpine scenery that surrounds the highest point in western Europe.

  • A Pilgrimage to Europe

    A Pilgrimage to Europe

    walking europe

    A selection of Europe's best known tracks, walked in May-July 2010. This describes almost 600 km of walking, including three sections of the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain and some more secular walkers' pilgrimages in the Cinque Terre and Dolomites of Italy.

  • Trekking in Turkey

    Trekking in Turkey

    trekking turkey

    An 8-week trip to Turkey in May-July 2011 sampling some of the trekking possibilities in the mountains, valleys and shorelines of Anatolia. This describes over 300km of walks including sections of The Lycian Way and St Paul Trail, plus tracks in Cappadocia, Taurus Mountains and Kackar Mountains. It also includes a blue cruise along the Mediterranean Coast.

  • Walking the Urban Fringe

    Walking the Urban Fringe

    urban fringes

    An exploration of the intersection between the natural and the man-made while walking the landscapes of the urban fringe. Currently includes the brand new 140km long Canberra Centenary Trail around Australia's capital, the Great Sydney Coastal Walk, the Wiradjuri Trail in the NSW country city of Wagga Wagga, the City to Sea Walk in Wellington, New Zealand, and a walk along the seaboard of Vancouver, Canada.

  • Bushwalking in Tasmania

    Bushwalking in Tasmania

    tasmania

    An ongoing series of descriptions and photos of well-known and lesser known walks in the wilderness of Tasmania - includes the Ducane Range, Cuvier Valley, part of the South Coast Track and Southern Ranges (walked in February 2012). It also has a description of the iconic Overland Track (written from memories of 12 years ago).

  • Kokoda Track

    Kokoda Track

    kokoda

    A 7-day trek on the iconic 96km jungle track that crosses the Owen Stanley Range of Papua-New Guinea; in the footsteps of the heroes of the Kokoda Campaign. Walked in July 2012.

  • Hiking in Canada

    Hiking in Canada

    canada

    A sampler of the hiking possibilities in Canada - 400km of trails walked from August to October 2012, starting from the waveswept Pacific Coast to the rugged peaks and lakes of the Rocky Mountains, and finishing amongst the magnificent colours of the eastern forests in autumn.

    Includes a bonus description of walking the Great Wall of China during a stopover on our return.

  • Balkans and beyond

    Balkans and beyond

    canada
    After 3 years we returned in May-August 2013 to sample more of the marvellous European landscapes - this time heading east to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, the mountains of Albania and Bulgaria and the Julian Alps of Slovenia. These pages contain descriptions of over 450km of trekking, as well as almost 500km of cycling in Croatia and down the Danube Valley, and a trip by boat along the Dalmatian coast.

    While the multi-day walks are in the Balkans, there are also descriptions of some lovely day-walks in the very different landscapes of Germany's Black Forest and the Pennine Alps of Switzerland.

    Click on image to enter.

  • Iceland - land of fire and ice

    Iceland - land of fire and ice

    canada

    This is the cream (or should I say ice-cream) on the cake of our return visit to Europe. Iceland, with its wild landscapes, glaciers and volcanoes is one of those places of the imagination. It is time to make it real for us, as we hike the famous Laugarvegur Trail and sample a few other regions during September 2013 .

    Click on image to enter.
  • Larapinta Trail

    Larapinta Trail - east to west

    canada

    June and July 2014

    Australia's iconic desert trek. Join us as we follow this 230km trail along the rugged ridges, narrow gorges and spinifex grasslands of the McDonnell Ranges in the red centre of this continent.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walks in North-eastern Australia

    Walks in North-eastern Australia

    canada

    July-August 2014 and July-August 2020

    Descriptions of several multi-day and day walks in Queensland and northern NSW - including the Thorsborne Trail in the tropical paradise of Hinchinbrook Island, the Ngaro Sea Trail in the famous Whitsunday Islands (listed as a "Great Walk" but more sailing than hiking) and the Yuraygir Coastal Track. Some further coastal and subtropical rainforest walks were added in 2020.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Blue Mountains Walking

    Blue Mountains Walking

    canada

    2014 on

    An ongoing collection of walks made in the Blue Mountains - arguably Australia's premier bush-walking region. Starts with an historic walk, a bit of canyoning and a classic cross-valley walk in the northern section.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Cherry Blossom Walking Japan

    Cherry Blossom Walking in Japan

    canada

    March-April 2015

    A 7-day bike ride in Kyushu, and a 7-day trek along an ancient buddhist pilgrimage trail, plus other shorter walks to explore the beauty of Japan in cherry blossom season.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Walking South Australia

    Walking South Australia

    canada

    September-October 2015 and March-April 2021

    Describes walks at the northern and southern ends of the Heysen Trail, Australia's longest walking track - a contrast between the rugged mountains of of the Flinders Ranges and the wild coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Also includes an exploration of wilderness walking possibilities on Kangaroo Island. Later additions include kayaking on the Murray and its anabranches at Chowilla, plus day walks in the Southern Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula coastline and Arkaroola in the arid north.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Scandinavia and the Baltics

    Scandinavia and the Baltics

    canada

    July-October 2016

    Describes a series of multi-day and day walks exploring the wild landscapes of Norway, Sweden and Finland, plus cycle trips in Sweden, kayaking in Poland and visits to the capitals of the countries bordering the Baltic Sea.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Franklin River Rafting

    Franklin River Rafting

    franklin_river

    February 2017

    Describes a 10-day rafting trip down one of Australia's last wild rivers, exploring the heart of the Tasmanian wilderness with the added frisson of some serious white water sections. Includes a day-walk up to the neighbouring ridge-line with superb views of Frenchmans Cap, the iconic SW Tasmanian peak.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Great South West Walk

    Great South West Walk

    greatsouthwestwalk

    November 2017

    Describes a 14-day adventure on this 250 km long journey in western Victoria undertaken in November 2017. Setting out from the town of Nelson, the first ten days were hiked, along isolated beaches, around the cliffs of capes and headlands and deep in the forests of the Cobobboonee National Park. The circuit was completed by canoeing the last for days down the Glenelg River. Includes a bonus of some day-walks in the Grampians.

    Click menu or image to enter

  • Central America and Cuba

    Central America and Cuba

    central america

    Jan-Feb 2018

    Describes an eight-week trip in Jan-Feb 2018 - five weeks on an adventure tour through Central America followed by two weeks doing the same in Cuba (a bucket list destination). Normally, we travel independently, so this was a novelty for us. The mix is more tourism than walking, which also makes this photodiary a little different to others. We finish with a week of sailing in the Caribbean - the icing on a very lovely travel cake.


    Click menu or image to enter

  • Southern Africa and the Seychelles

    Southern Africa and the Seychelles

    central america

    Jan-Feb 2018

    Describes an seven-week trip - arriving in time for a bit of walking in the west cape of South Africa, before taking a camping trek through the deserts of Namibia and the game parks of Botswana to reach Victoria Falls, one of natural wonders of the world. Finally, a bit of sailing amongst the tropical islands and reefs of The Seychelles provides an excellent way to wind down.


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  • Eastern Europe by bike and foot

    Eastern Europe by bike and foot

    eastern europe

    Jul-Sep 2019

    Describes a five-week trip where we alternate between foot and bicycle to ride down the Danube through Austria, Hungary and Serbia, and hike in the dramatic High Tatra Mountains of Slovakia and the mysterious Transylvanian mountains of Romania.
    COMING SOON



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  • Walking Tour of Morocco

    morocco

    Walking Tour of Morocco

    morocco

    Sep-Oct 2019

    Describes a four-week trip combining walking (trekking in the Atlas Mountains, day-walks in the Rif Mountains, along the Atlantic Coast and in the desert) with more classical tourism visiting the well-known cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fez, Meknes and Marrakech.


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  • Great South Coast Walk Revisited

    southcoast2

    Great South Coast Walk Revisited

    southcoast2

    March 2021 to December 2022

    We first walked the 650 km down the south coast of New South Wales, from Sydney to Mallacoota, in 2004. In recent years, there has been growing interest in developing this walk into a formal entity to promote the natural features and beauty of the region. As part of this, we decided to see whether the walk could be sliced in into several , roughly week-long group adventures, that could be easily done by bushwalking clubs or even tourist operators. In March 2021, we did the first such stage, followed by Stage 2 in April 2022, Stage 3 in October 2022 and Stage 4 in December 2022.


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  • Covid Roadtrips

    covid

    Covid Roadtrips

    covid

    March-April 2021 and July-September 2021

    Describes walks, cycling trips and canoeing trips made when we were able to escape during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020/21. The first trip to South Australia includes canoeing on the Murray River, plus day walks in the Southern Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula coastline and Arkaroola in the arid north. Some months later we were able to head north for more walking and canoeing in far north Queensland and the Northern Territory (including the Jatbula Track), and in the Red Centre. Finally it was back to South Australia for a flight over Lake Eyre and some walking and cycling on the Fleurieu Peninsula.


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  • Reef and Rainforest

    covid

    Reef and Rainforest

    covid

    June-July 2022

    Describes walks, kayaking and snorkelling trips as we head slowly up the east coast of Northern Australia in June and July 2022 to explore parts of the Great Berrier Reef and its islands and wander through the remnant stands of tropical rainforest.


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  • Western Europe by Bike and Foot

    covid

    Western Europe by Bike and Foot

    covid

    June-July 2023

    Describes a nine-week trip to several Atlantic Coast countries of Europe during May-July 2023 - alternating between foot and bicycle to walk along the coast of Cornwall, the highlands and islands of Scotland, the Picos de Europa of northern Spain and the Pyrenees, interspersed with cycling trips along Hadrian's Wall in England and the coast of Bretagne in France. After all that, a week of repose in an old stone cottage the Cevenne region of southern France, coupled with a canoe trip down the Herault River, seemed the ideal way to finish this adventure.


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  • Magical Mystery Tour

    Magical Mystery Tour

    Random Pages

    Try your luck by clicking the image. Who knows where you will end up - there are over 180 destinations. To return to this page again, click on "Home" in the menu bar of the page that you visit.

    Alternatively, use the search box below to see if there is information on a particular location that interests you.

    Click on image to enter.

What other readers have said:

Milestones

In October 2012 these diaries passed half a million page views - Thanks to all the readers who have passed on compliments and comments and given us the incentive to keep writing.

In January 2014 this website was included in the web archive Pandora by the National Library of Australia.

 
What this site is about

We are two not-quite grey nomads who have retired / changed careers / entered the third phase of our lives - whatever you want to call it. The one great change is to regain mastery of our time and have the chance to live our dreams. The world is a beautiful place and beautiful places should be experienced slowly - there is no better way to do this than walking. This site has been set up to document a series of walks and travel to different parts of the globe that we have done over the past 17 years. It is primarily for our own records and memories, but anyone who might find it of interest is welcome to browse.

There are now 35 photodiaries covering 9700 km of walks, plus 1700 km of cycling, 750 km of sailing, 500 km on the water by canoe, kayak or raft and the odd trips by other means, with detailed descriptions and over 17000 photos - take your time and enjoy.

Random Pages

Can't decide where to visit. Take a mystery tour by clicking on the image. Who knows where you will end up - there are over 330 destinations. To return to this page again, click on "Nomad Home".

South Coast Walk

Great South Coast Walk

A 3-month journey of self discovery made between February and May 2004; time to walk, time to stay, time to contemplate. This diary describes a 630 km walk down the south coast of New South Wales from Sydney to Mallacoota. In our view it is one of the most diverse and picturesque stretches of coastline in the world.

Tramping the Land of the Long White Cloud

Tramping in New Zealand

Describes 26 tramps covering 1200 km in New Zealand, walked between September 2004 and April 2005. These include all 8 "Great Walks of New Zealand" and cover a range of landscapes, from alpine ridges and deep glacial valleys to lush beech forest and isolated and rugged coastlines.

The Great Sandy Walk

Great Sandy Walk

A 230 km walk from the top of Fraser Island to Noosa in November 2005, exploring the landscapes of the world's largest sand island and the nearby Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park.

Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim

Trekking the Himalayas in Sikkim

At last the Himalayas - the holy grail of trekkers! Describes three treks totalling 200 km, walked during April and May 2006; one along the Singalila Ridge between India and Nepal, and two in Sikkim, the Goeche-La Trek and a trek to the Green Lake wilderness near Kangchenjunga.

Walking the South-West Corner

Walking the South-West Corner

Checks out some of the walks and the wildflowers in the southwest of Western Australia during October and November 2006; describes 380 km of tracks, including the Cape to Cape Track, the last section of the Bibbulmun Track from Walpole to Albany, and several day walks in the Stirling Ranges and Cape Le Grand National Parks.

Viaje en Los Andes

Viaje en Los Andes

Describes over 850 km of treks and shorter hikes in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, plus the odd trip by bike, 4WD and boat, as we wend our way northwards up the Andean chain and then follow it back to the tip of Patagonia between March and December 2007.

Antarctica: the Last Continent

Antarctica: the Last Continent

Journey by boat from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula - an 11 day voyage made in December 2007 to discover the ice, snow and fascinating wildlife of the silent continent; includes landings on offshore islands and the Antarctic continent.

Walking the High Country

Walking the High Country

Describes walks in the Alpine National Parks of Australia, including the 215 km northern section of the Australian Alpine Walking Track in April 2008, walks in the Mts Hotham and Bogong area and the The Kosciuszko Lakes Walk, Australia's best one-day alpine walk.

The Great Ocean Walk ... and more

Great Ocean Walk

A 230 km walk from Torquay to the Twelve Apostles, Victoria, through forest and heathland, along cliff and beach on the southern edge of the Australian continent. Joins the Surf Coast Walk and the Great Ocean Walk with a link on forest tracks, beach, rock platforms and a bit of roadside to form one long and really great ocean walk.

Also includes a description of the 59km Wilson's Promontory Grand Circuit and a 60km walk along the Wilderness Coast in the far east of Victoria.

Treks and Tourism in Vietnam

Trekking and Tourism in Vietnam

Combines some classic tourism to archaeological sites, cities and other attractions, with over 100 km of treks, as we travel by plane, train, car, boat and on foot to sample the superb landscapes and visit the hill tribes of Vietnam in December 2008 and January 2009. Includes Angkor Wat in Cambodia and a dash of skiing in Hokkaido, Japan, for additional flavour.

North by Northwest in Australia

The Wild West of Australia

A 6-week trip undertaken during May-June 2009 in a 4x4 bushcamper from Darwin to Perth, visiting some of the remote and unspoilt areas of Australia's northwest. Explores the gorges, rivers, isolated beaches and other features of the rugged and ancient landscapes of the Kimberley, Pilbara and Coral Coast by car, canoe and on foot.

Tour du Mont Blanc

tour du mont blanc

With almost 170 km of track and 11,000 m of climbing and descending, the Tour de Mont Blanc is one of the great treks of the world. This describes a 12-day circuit in France, Italy and Switzerland walked during June 2010, passing through the superb alpine scenery that surrounds the highest point in western Europe.

A Pilgrimage to Europe

walking europe

A selection of Europe's best known tracks, walked in May-July 2010. This describes almost 600 km of walking, including three sections of the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain and some more secular walkers' pilgrimages in the Cinque Terre and Dolomites of Italy.

Trekking in Turkey

trekking turkey

An 8-week trip to Turkey in May-July 2011 sampling some of the trekking possibilities in the mountains, valleys and shorelines of Anatolia. This describes over 300km of walks including sections of The Lycian Way and St Paul Trail, plus tracks in Cappadocia, Taurus Mountains and Kackar Mountains. It also includes a blue cruise along the Mediterranean Coast.

Walking the Urban Fringe

urban fringes

An exploration of the intersection between the natural and the man-made while walking the landscapes of the urban fringe. Currently includes the brand new 140km long Canberra Centenary Trail around Australia's capital, the Great Sydney Coastal Walk, the Wiradjuri Trail in the NSW country city of Wagga Wagga, the City to Sea Walk in Wellington, New Zealand, and a walk along the seaboard of Vancouver, Canada.

Bushwalking in Tasmania

tasmania

An ongoing series of descriptions and photos of well-known and lesser known walks in the wilderness of Tasmania - includes the Ducane Range, Cuvier Valley, part of the South Coast Track and Southern Ranges (walked in February 2012). It also has a description of the iconic Overland Track (written from memories of 12 years ago).

Kokoda Track

kokoda

A 7-day trek on the iconic 96km jungle track that crosses the Owen Stanley Range of Papua-New Guinea; in the footsteps of the heroes of the Kokoda Campaign. Walked in July 2012.

Hiking in Canada

canada

A sampler of the hiking possibilities in Canada - 400km of trails walked from August to October 2012, starting from the waveswept Pacific Coast to the rugged peaks and lakes of the Rocky Mountains, and finishing amongst the magnificent colours of the eastern forests in autumn.

Includes a bonus description of walking the Great Wall of China during a stopover on our return.

Balkans and beyond

canada

After 3 years we returned in May-August 2013 to sample more of the marvellous European landscapes - this time heading east to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, the mountains of Albania and Bulgaria and the Julian Alps of Slovenia. These pages contain descriptions of over 450km of trekking, as well as almost 500km of cycling in Croatia and down the Danube Valley, and a trip by boat along the Dalmatian coast.

While the multi-day walks are in the Balkans, there are also descriptions of some lovely day-walks in the very different landscapes of Germany's Black Forest and the Pennine Alps of Switzerland.

Iceland - land of fire and ice

canada

This is the cream (or should I say ice-cream) on the cake of our return visit to Europe. Iceland, with its wild landscapes, glaciers and volcanoes is one of those places of the imagination. It is time to make it real for us, as we hike the famous Laugarvegur Trail and sample a few other regions during September 2013.

Larapinta Trail - east to west

canada

June and July 2014

Australia's iconic desert trek. Join us as we follow this 230km trail along the rugged ridges, narrow gorges and spinifex grasslands of the McDonnell Ranges in the red centre of this continent.

Walks in North-eastern Australia

canada

July-August 2014 and July-August 2020

Descriptions of several multi-day and day walks in Queensland and northern NSW - including the Thorsborne Trail in the tropical paradise of Hinchinbrook Island, the Ngaro Sea Trail in the famous Whitsunday Islands (listed as a "Great Walk" but more sailing than hiking) and the Yuraygir Coastal Track. Some further coastal and subtropical rainforest walks were added in 2020.

Blue Mountains Walking

canada

2014 on

An ongoing collection of walks made in the Blue Mountains - arguably Australia's premier bush-walking region. Starts with an historic walk, a bit of canyoning and a classic cross-valley walk in the northern section.

Cherry Blossom Walking in Japan

canada

March-April 2015

A 7-day bike ride in Kyushu, and a 7-day trek along an ancient buddhist pilgrimage trail, plus other shorter walks to explore the beauty of Japan in cherry blossom season.

Walking South Australia

canada

September-October 2015 and March-April 2021

Describes walks at the northern and southern ends of the Heysen Trail, Australia's longest walking track - a contrast between the rugged mountains of of the Flinders Ranges and the wild coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Also includes an exploration of wilderness walking possibilities on Kangaroo Island. Later additions include kayaking on the Murray and its anabranches at Chowilla, plus day walks in the Southern Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula coastline and Arkaroola in the arid north.

Scandinavia and the Baltics

scandinavia

July-October 2016

Describes a series of multi-day and day walks exploring the wild landscapes of Norway, Sweden and Finland, plus cycle trips in Sweden, kayaking in Poland and visits to the capitals of the countries bordering the Baltic Sea.

Franklin River Rafting

franklinriver

February 2017

Describes a 10-day rafting trip down one of Australia's last wild rivers, exploring the heart of the Tasmanian wilderness with the added frisson of some serious white water sections. Includes a day-walk up to the neighbouring ridge-line with superb views of Frenchmans Cap, the iconic SW Tasmanian peak.

Great South West Walk

greatsouthwestwalk

November 2017

Describes a 14-day adventure on this 250 km long journey in western Victoria undertaken in November 2017. Setting out from the town of Nelson, the first ten days were hiked, along isolated beaches, around the cliffs of capes and headlands and deep in the forests of the Cobobboonee National Park. The circuit was completed by canoeing the last for days down the Glenelg River. Includes a bonus of some day-walks in the Grampians.

Central America and Cuba

centralamerica

January-February 2018

Describes an eight-week trip - five weeks on an adventure tour through Central America followed by two weeks doing the same in Cuba (a bucket list destination). Normally, we travel independently, so this was a novelty for us. The mix is more tourism than walking, which also makes this photodiary a little different to others. We finish with a week of sailing in the Caribbean - the icing on a very lovely travel cake.

Southern Africa and Seychelles

aouthernafrica

September-October 2018

Describes an seven-week trip - arriving in time for a bit of walking in the west cape of South Africa, before taking a camping trek through the deserts of Namibia and the game parks of Botswana to reach Victoria Falls, one of natural wonders of the world. Finally, a bit of sailing amongst the tropical islands and reefs of The Seychelles provides an excellent way to wind down.

Eastern Europe by bike and foot

eastern europe

July-September 2019

Describes a five-week trip where we alternate between foot and bicycle to ride down the Danube through Austria, Hungary and Serbia, and hike in the dramatic High Tatra Mountains of Slovakia and the mysterious Transylvanian mountains of Romania.

Walking Tour of Morocco

aouthernafrica

September-October 2019

Describes a four-week trip combining walking (trekking in the Atlas Mountains, day-walks in the Rif Mountains, along the Atlantic Coast and in the desert) with more classical tourism visiting the well-known cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fez, Meknes and Marrakech.

Great South Coast Walk Revisited

south coast

March 2021 to December 2022

We first walked the 650 km down the south coast of New South Wales, from Sydney to Mallacoota, in 2004. In recent years, there has been growing interest in developing this walk into a formal entity to promote the natural features and beauty of the region. As part of this, we decided to see whether the walk could be sliced in into several , roughly week-long group adventures, that could be easily done by bushwalking clubs or even tourist operators. In March 2021, we did the first such stage, followed by Stage 2 in April 2022, Stage 3 in October 2022 and Stage 4 in December 2022.

Covid Roadtrips

covid

March-April 2021 and July-September 2021

Describes walks, cycling trips and canoeing trips made when we were able to escape during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020/21. The first trip to South Australia includes canoeing on the Murray River, plus day walks in the Southern Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula coastline and Arkaroola in the arid north. Some months later we were able to head north for more walking and canoeing in far north Queensland and the Northern Territory (including the Jatbula Track), and in the Red Centre. Finally it was back to South Australia for a flight over Lake Eyre and some walking and cycling on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Reef and Rainforest

covid

June-July 2022

Describes walks, kayaking and snorkelling trips as we head slowly up the east coast of Northern Australia in June and July 2022 to explore parts of the Great Berrier Reef and its islands and wander through the remnant stands of tropical rainforest.

Western Europe by Bike and Foot

covid

June-July 2023

Describes a nine-week trip to several Atlantic Coast countries of Europe during May-July 2023 - alternating between foot and bicycle to walk along the coast of Cornwall, the highlands and islands of Scotland, the Picos de Europa of northern Spain and the Pyrenees, interspersed with cycling trips along Hadrian's Wall in England and the coast of Bretagne in France. After all that, a week of repose in an old stone cottage the Cevenne region of southern France, coupled with a canoe trip down the Herault River, seemed the ideal way to finish this adventure.

Magical Mystery Tour

Random Pages

Try your luck by clicking the image. Who knows where you will end up - there are over 180 destinations. To return to this page again, click on "Home" in the menu bar of the page that you visit.

Alternatively, use the search box below to see if there is information on a particular location that interests you.


What other readers have said:

Milestones

In October 2012 these diaries passed half a million page views - Thanks to all the readers who have passed on compliments and comments and given us the incentive to keep writing.

In January 2014 this website was included in the web archive Pandora by the National Library of Australia.

 

We lead privileged lives to be able to make journeys like those described in this site and we take for granted the fact that we can see the beauty about us. Nomad supports a number of agencies that provide individuals and communities with the means to improve their lives, that help restore sight to those who have lost it and help protect the landscapes through which we journey.

If you enjoy visiting this site and feel likewise, the links below will enable you to help.


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