Friday, December 25, 2015

Meal ideas for hiking

We are about to go on a 3 night walk with our boys (aged 9 and 12). I'll post more about the walk itself later on, but for now....here is our food plan. Yep, it is a bit fruit and veg deprived, but I figure that it is only 3 days. Unfortunately both the boys dislike dried fruit. I would add dried apples, apricots and sultanas. 

The food that I take on our hikes are fairly lightweight but don't include the dehydrated meals that you buy in outdoor stores (bc I still haven't found one that everyone in the family likes). Most can be bought in a big supermarket, although I often get dried mushrooms, dried fruit, dried veggies, tuna pouches etched at Harris Farm Markets or local gourmet or health food stores (About Life in Rozelle for eg). Also, we are only camping out for 3 days, so need to pack light, but not super-light. 

I aim for 1kg of food per person, per day. I find that this amount is usually spot on.

Breakfasts
Muesli -  (homemade oven-baked granola)
Powdered milk (powdered skim milk is nicer than full cream, oddly enough)
Oats and brown sugar for porridge
Protein bars
Wraps & Nutella

Lunches
Wraps
Small jar of nutella
Laughing Cow triangle cheese
Hans Danish salami
Small jar peanut butter
Salmon pouches
Toasted sesame seeds
Fresh fruit (apples, oranges) for day 1

Dinners
1. 500g 6 minute pasta (mini penne) with pesto and parmesan
2. 2 minute noodles with salmon (1 pkt noodles each and 2 pouches salmon between 4 of us) with cow cheese and toasted sesame seeds
3. Cous cous - made with stock cube/water; with cashew nuts and dried mushrooms tossed through; tuna fillets (1 pouch each) on top and scattered with toasted sesame seeds

Drinks/extras/snacks
12 hot chocolate pouches (or good powdered hot chocolate in a zip lock bag)
8 chicken soup pouches
tea bags
coffee
Chocolate
Protein bars
Nuts

Snacks. One bag per day for all of us. 
E.g. Of a lunch bag. Each morning I would move the PNB, salami, extra wraps etc to the next day's zip lock bag. 
Dinner 1 - mini penne with pesto and Parmesan. I dispense the pesto from a jar into a lightweight plastic container. 
Dinner 2 - noodles, cheese, salmon with toasted sesame seeds 
Dinner 3 - cous cous, tuna fillets, dried mushrooms, stock. Next time I would add some sort of sauce bc it was s bit dry. 
Breakfast eg - porridge, brown sugar, milk powder. 

Master packing list for overnight or multi-day hikes


OVERNIGHT HIKING LIST

ESSENTIALS

Navigation
Compass & whistle
Decent maps
GPS
Tree ties/rope

Sun/insect Protection
Sun hats
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Lip balm
Insect repellent

Clothing - general
Hiking boots
Hiking socks
Shirts/tshirts
Shorts
Long pants
Undies/bras

Clothing – Cold
Fleeces
Thermals
Gloves
Beanies

Clothing – Rain
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof pants

Other
Headlamp or torches
Extra batteries
Matches in waterproof container
Fire starter for backup
Swiss army knife
Tent(s)/shelter
First aid kit

Food & Water
Hydration packs/water bottles
Water treatment tablets
Food



BEYOND THE ESSENTIALS

Cooking
Trangia stove
Fuel for Trangia
Repair kit for stove
Spork (s)
Plate(s)
Cups
Zip lock bags
Washing up stuff
Teatowel(s)

Hiking - other
Backpack(s)
Pack covers
Gaiters
Hiking poles
Scarves/buffs
Sandals/Keens (?)
Quick dry towel
Locator beacon

Technology/personal
Phones
Credit cards/cash
Notepad/pencil
ID apps or books
Camera & extra battery
Solar charger
Binoculars
Field guides/ID apps/books/games

Sleeping
Sleeping bag
Sleeping bag liners
Sleeping mat (s)
Tent(s)
Pillows
Lightweight groundsheet

Toiletries
Band aids
Blister pads
Compression bandage
Antiseptic ointment
Antihistamines
Pain killers
Lanie’s meds
Aqium
Hand wipes
Toothpaste/toothbrush
Poo spade & toilet paper





Monday, August 17, 2015

Octopus Resort, Waya Island Fiji

I am not a fan of going to the same place twice. This place however, has lured me back for a repeat visit. And last night, I booked our 3rd visit. So what is it about Octopus that lures me back? The biggest draw card for me is the amazing snorkeling directly off the beach. It beats the other Fijian islands we have visited hands down. And then there is the vibe. Sand floor restaurant. Basic trips to see caves and manta rays. Some kayaking and hiking. Nothing too fancy or organised. It has a range of accommodation, which means you get to meet a wide range of travellers. 

The owners of the resort have built strong relationships with the village on the island. The resort employs people from the village, buy locally produced food and support other small businesses. And of course, this means that Octopus Resort have great staff who have grown up on the island. Guests can visit the village school during their stay. Prior to our visit in October, our 2 boys are planning to raise some money for the Education Fund, which is jointly managed by village elders, parents and the resort. Here are a few pics (I can't find my photos of the school...I'll take some this time and add them later).



Island hike - a steep climb

Communal tables

View from the deck



Thursday, March 7, 2013

Lord Howe Island - diving holiday

Five days.  No kids.  Six dives.  Beautiful accommodation.  No cooking.  Bliss.  The diving was amazing.  Easy to access (all within 20 minutes) and incredible underwater terrain.  Swim throughs, gutters, caves along with a fantastic array of fish.  It is very easy to access from Sydney.  We were still snorkeling at midday and were home reunited with the kids by 5pm.  This is my 3rd visit to Lord Howe and it really is a unique place.  It hasn't changed much since my first visit in 1983.  350 permanent residents.  No more than 400 guests at any one time.  It remains one of the untouched wonders of the world.  It isn't a cheap place to get to, eat or stay.  But is well worth every cent.
Silver drummer

Not sure what type of ray this is....still trying to ID

Howea Divers were great.  Low key, very experienced and knowledgable


Watching the surfers at Blinky's Beach

Japanese Boar fish

Butterfly fish - looks like a dotted butterfly fish centre, and Lord Howe Butterfly Fish in distance

Lord Howe Butterfly Fish - amazing how many endemic species there are in LHI


Galapagos Shark

Table coral

Anemone fish - McCullochs I think....

Beautiful sea grasses


Diving at Malabar


Snorkeling at Ned's Beach





Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Norway and Sweden

I think this trip is up there with the most amazing travel we have done with the kids.  The itinerary looked crazy (especially with a 6 and 9 year old) but was just fantastic.  The boys loved it and we loved it.  Dog sledding was the highlight for everyone.  Expensive.  But well worth it.
Train trip from Geilo to Bergen, Norway

Outdoor ice skating, Oslo, Norway

Oslo, Norway
Santa in the forest.  Geilo, Norway.  Minutes before, we had been huddled inside the Sami tent (vallu) singing Christmas carols (in Norweigan...well, listening), eating traditional porridge and getting presents from Santa.
Geilo, Norway.  Now THAT is a Christmas tree!
Geilo, Norway

Gelio train Station, Norway.  Even the trains and train stations are beautiful in Norway
Train between Bergen and Voss, Norway
Bergen, Norway

Going up the furnicular.  Bergen, Norway.
Leaving the pier through ice.  Gudvangen, Norway
Fjord cruise - Naeroyfjord & Aurlandsfjord Fjords, Norway.
Gamla Stan (old town), Stockholm, Sweden.

The beautiful apartment we rented in Stockholm
En-route to our cabin.  Lapland, Sweden.
Ice Hotel, Jukkasjärvi (Lapland, Sweden)
Having a drink from an ice glass at the Ice Hotel
Ice Hotel
Jukkasjärvi (Lapland, Sweden) about 200km north of the arctic circle


On our way back to Jukkasjärvi (Sweden) with a beautiful sunrise (it was about 11am!)


In brief
Where we stayed
Norway
Bristol Hotel, Oslo
Dr Holm's Hotel, Geilo 
Radisson Blu, Bergen
Bristol Hotel, Oslo 

Sweden
Apartment rented through Airbnb, Stockholm
Camp Ripan, Kiruna
Airport Hotel, Stockholm     
When we travelled
Dec-Jan 2013 (20 days)
How we travelled
Malaysian Airlines/KLM - Sydney-KL-Amsterdam-Olso; and same on the way back except from Stockholm
Scandanavia Air Service - Oslo-Stockholm, then Kiruna-Stockholm
Trains - Oslo-Bergen, Bergen-Voss, Mydral-Oslo, Stockholm-Kiruna (overnight)
  
Highlights
* Dog sledding in Lapland
* Seeing reindeer in their natural habitat (Lapland, Sweden)
* Overnight train trip from Stockholm to Kiruna
* Outdoor hot tub at Dr Holm's hotel in Geilo
* Seeing Santa in the forest in Geilo (kind of by accident)
* Train trip from Geilo to Bergen and Flam to Myrdal
* The skies in Lapland (and Northern Lights) + being in the wilderness during dog sledding & snow mobiling (just not the noise of snow mobiling)
* Actually I could list almost everything!!!  

Things that the kids really liked
* Dog sledding
* Outdoor ice skating in Oslo
* Viking museum in Oslo
* Pool & hot tub at Dr Holms
* Tobogganing at Geilo
* Just playing in the deep powder snow 

Not highlights
* Snow mobiling.  Just not my thing.  If you like jet-skis and motorbikes, you'll like it.  But if you are more a bushwalker (hiker), swimmer, sailor...you'll like quiet dog sledding or snow shoeing better.
* It would be great if Europe was a bit closer to Australia!  That said, the kids coped fine with the huge trip over and back.  In some ways, those long flights are great because they all have their own TV in the back of the seat, so have a huge variety of entertainment (& you don't have to worry about charging iPads etc.)
 
What we would do differently next time
* Stay in central Kiruna, rather than Camp Ripan (which was 15 mins from town)
* Stay in more rented apartments - the Airbnb place worked out really well.

 

Friday, September 7, 2012

How amazing is Victoria?

The beautiful Australian bush, Cape Otway

Sulfur crested cockatoos near the beach, Lorne
Our first koala sighting between Lorne and Cape Otway.  This one was hanging on a branch over the road.  It turned out to be our first of many koala encounters.



Berry picking near Lorne


Mud.  Great Ocean Ecolodge


Australian Fur Seals.  Cape Bridgewater


Bottlenose Dolphins.  Cape Bridgewater.

Great Ocean Ecolodge.


Great Ocean Road (near 12 apostles)
Cape Otway lighthouse
Farm stay, Scott's Creek
Visiting a dairy near Scott's Creek

What an amazing state.  I love Melbourne and would happily live there.  But I particularly love the country and coastal regions of Victoria.  The sheer density of Australian animals along the Great Ocean Road really is quite amazing.  Koalas, wallabies, seals, emus and the list goes on.  It is a very special part of the world.  And well worth more than a few day visit. 

In brief
Where we stayed

Albert Park, Melbourne - with friends
Lorne - Jack's Shack, Treetop Hideaway - http://www.greatoceanroadholidays.com.au/accommodation/1587
Great Ocean Ecolodge, Cape Otway - http://www.greatoceanecolodge.com/
Farm stay Scott's Creek - http://www.bellevuefarmstay.com/
Koroit, near Tower Hill Reserve

When we travelled
April, 2011

How we travelled
In our own car from Sydney.  One adult drove, the other adult flew down with the kids, picking up the other 3 at the airport.  Then we swapped on the way back.  It was a great way to do it.  We booked super-cheap flights a long way in advance, and it was definitely worth avoiding 11hrs in the car with the kids.

Highlights
* Australian and NZ fur seals + dolphins at Cape Bridgewater (and very exciting huge swells)
* bushwalks around Cape Otway - beautiful and good for kids
* koalas, emus, wallabies, Black Otway Snail, glow worms at Cape Otway and Tower Hill Reserve
* kids happy to do longer bushwalks because of animal spotting
* watching surfers south of the 12 Apostles jumping from cliffs into the huge swell
* fairy penguins at St Kilda wharf

Things that the kids really liked
* fairy penguins at dusk at St Kilda wharf
* seals at Cape Bridgewater
* Tower Hill reserve - lots of animals
* Berry picking
* Night bushwalk at Melba Gully to see glow worms

Not highlights
* spent a fair bit of time in the car, even though distances weren't great (roads are slow and windy)
* because we were moving quite a bit, not necessarily a really relaxing holiday - but definitely fun

What we would do differently next time
* We would probably stay in Port Fairy rather than Koroit
* Stay for a minimum of 3 days in each place