Our Hiking Blog

One common problem, if you are using a map on a long trip, is keeping it in good condition. Constant opening, folding, stowing and reopening all inevitably damage the map. Then there is the rain, wind and other conditions that can destroy it in minutes. After a couple of days, the map ends up in four or five pieces, damaged and degraded.

About 8 Overland Track trips ago, to save pack weight, we scanned and colour printed the maps for each day from John Chapman’s Overland Track book. Sue then laminated them and they have lasted very well for every trip. In fact, they are still in great condition.

This week Frank heads off on the first of 14 trips planned for the Great Ocean Walk between October and May. One map will not survive that many trips, so laminating sections of it is the best solution.

Frank reading the full version of the map

Things have been busy around the Our Hiking Blog household.

We have just returned from Siem Reap, Cambodia and had a great break exploring many areas, in particular some beautiful temples.  It is a terrific place to visit, wonderful people, fascinating culture and excellent food.   Many things about Cambodia can be very confronting.  There is a lot of government corruption or inaction, poverty, poor infrastructure and the ever present undertone of westerners preying on people who are looking for a way to make some money, no matter how… That being said, we really enjoyed our time.

It is great to be back in Australia. The complicated bit has been amid all the travel planning, journey and return to Australia, Frank has managed to  secure a  part time role as a guide with a local adventure travel company.  Yep,  commencing Thursday, he is the Raw Travel Great Ocean Walk “expert”and will be guiding groups on that spectacular coastal walk here in Victoria, Australia.

Cape Otway Lighthouse from the track

Sorry we have been a bit quiet recently but it was the busy run up to our holiday time and then travelling to Cambodia. Yes, this article comes to you from Siem Reap, Cambodia.

A few of you regulars will recall we visited Cambodia this time last year, travelling around a lot of the country over nearly 4 weeks. This time we decided to focus on one area, Siem Reap. It is the location to base yourself and visit many temples or “Wats”.

This trip is for 10 days and is a combination of exploring the area and having a break. Last year we travelled a lot and saw a lot of this fascinating country. This year we have based ourselves in Siem Reap at the same hotel so only one lot of unpacking of our gear and no timetables or travel plans to worry about.

We arrived a week ago and there was a lot of flooding across the north of Cambodia. Many of the roads to the temples were under water, as was the centre of town. There was also a lot of flood damage to homes and farms in the region.

Floods in Siem Reap - the roads held a lot of water

As part of our accommodation we have exclusive access to a Tuk Tuk from dawn to 10pm. Mr Tola the driver has been great and it makes getting around very easy. Last year we had to negotiate a price with a new driver most trips and then explain where we wanted to go, getting lost several times. Continue Reading…

It was “W” kind of week. Wild, wet and windy weather but the mission was planned. Lunches cancelled, families organised and spaces made in our calenders.

Deb and Frank were on a mission to traverse some of the Great Ocean Walk in Victoria and nothing was going to stop us.

We had planned this recky trip for months and finally were able to get away for a couple of days.

Why? Because we live so close to this fantastic coastal walk and have done most of it. It is brilliant. In this case, we thought it was time to produce a guide similar to our Overland Track one.  You can’t write a guide without research, and a few photographs, so this was the mission.

Now we did have my old Ute loaded up with camping gear, tents, eskies and cooking stuff. We DID plan to camp at Bimbi Park (Cape Otway Caravan Park) , honest. Arriving in a hail storm in the dark was not going to stop Deb and Frank having a couple of nights in the tent. That is until we met Frank. Yep, another Frank the owner (with his wife Katrina) of this terrific place to base yourself for the Great Ocean Walk.

Frank is a good operator. He is passionate about the Great Ocean Walk and the Great Ocean Road area. He was also very convincing that a cabin might be a good option for this trip. You know, we needed somewhere to make notes at night and upload photo’s and stuff…. besides it was hailing and it was 8pm. And there was a fire tub just outside the cabin we could get roaring if we wanted to pretend we were camping.

So the cabin it was. Sweet. (and don’t be fooled by this photograph, they are excellent inside)

It was up and atom (slowly) Continue Reading…

Welcome to Diane Campbell who recently shared an article with us about her guided walks exploits. Diane is semi-retired and has been cheerfully getting lost by herself or walking on tracks with friends for more years than she will admit to. Currently living near the Eastern end of the Yurebilla Trail and not too far from the Heysen, she has bushwalked in every state and won’t admit to a favourite

In Australia I will nearly always be alone or – preferably with a friend or bushwalking group – on day walks. If I visit an area which is new to me and has a lot of great short walks – such as first visits to the Flinders Ranges, or the Blue Mountains – then I will plan and enjoy lots of day trips.

Cox's river crossing on the Six Foot Track

If I wish to do a through-walk and a Supported walk is available, then I will choose that. The main reason is that walks which must include an overnight stay often include tracks of variable grades, and I don’t want to carry a pack with tent and sleeping bag and water for 2 days or more. Its not just the extra work, its a safety and comfort issue. Some people are natural athletes with excellent balance, and some of us are not and struggle to keep up. This occurred to me at least 50 years ago when a kindergarten teacher in high heels was trying to show me how to hop. (And why would anyone wish to do that?) If I’m on stepping stones then a pack with much more than my lunch in it will pretty well ensure I go into the drink. Or the mud.

One can’t visit the Grampians or the Six-Foot track without tripping over a school group or troop of Duke of Edinburgh Award contenders – and in any largish group, a sizeable number look unhappy, or tired, or appear to be gritting their teeth. Continue Reading…