Celebrating WORLD DIABETES DAY

November 14th was World Diabetes Day!

Over 1000 monuments all over the world were lit in blue for the occasion.
Like the CN Tower! You can see pics of them all here at . . .
http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/activities/wdd-monument-challenge-2008

This was the first year that we, my family, has celebrated the occasion. We zipped to the top of the tower and had a delicious dinner in the rotating restaurant with an incredible view of Toronto.
Hoooray for diabetes and all the great things and people and opportunities it has brought into my life. Cheers!

Rant # 472 - Excuse me for not smoking

Smoking indoors in public places has been banned in many big cities across Canada. I think that's fantastic. I remember the day the bill was passed in the city where I was attending university. My housemates and I went out to the bar to celebrate, but the real celebration came when we returned home that night and didn't have to have a shower or throw all of our clothes directly into the laundry bin. They weren't saturated with smoke smell! We were still revelling the next day as we got in the shower and weren't overcome with the stench of stale smoke seeping out of our hair and pores. Granted, there were now new smells at the bar that were never detectable before the smoking ban...but that's another blog.

I'll get to the point. I think that smoking should be outlawed on city streets.

After being inspired at the marathon, I have been out pounding the pavement. Yeah, yeah, I am that impressionable- I have been running more than usual these past few weeks. And maybe that's the only reason I have noticed this....but there seems to be an awful lot of people hacking darts as they walk down the street.
This is likely a direct correlation of there being no other legal place to partake in such an act outside of the home. Or maybe this has always been the case. But it has come to my attention recently that my rights are being violated on public property.

It is absolutely disgusting to run through someones smoke cloud. In fact, if I can see a smoker up ahead, I will actually try to hold my breath for as long as possible while approaching and passing the offender.
I don't know whether it's the contents of the smoke, the fact that I'm breathing harder that I should be, the fact that it has been exhaled by stranger or the fact that I can visualize the tar getting really deep down in my hard working lungs that disgusts me the most.
What I do know is that it makes me choke. And while it's probably not necessary to cough and gag as loud or for as long as I do. I feel that enhacing the natural reaction provides an opportunity for me to express my feelings to the polluter in a subtle, non-verbal way.

Call it immature, call it whatever you want...I don't think that I should have to suck back other people's disgusting habit when I am out trying to do something good for my body.

And that's that.

DESA Article

The Diabetes Exercise
Sport Association (DESA)
published an article that I
wrote in their Summer 2008
newsletter, The Challenge.

Check out the article (pictured here) at
http://www.diabetes-exercise.org/pdf/DESANewsSum08.pdf

pages 8 and 9.

Speaking for Hope

Last month I was involved with the Diabetes Hope Foundation's annual Walk for Hope as the lead walker. Here is the speech that kicked off the walk. Please excuse the shaky home video footage!

A jog in the park

"Alright! Way to go pink shirt!"
"Good job number 1407"
"Looking strong red hat"
The guy across the road from us at the 16km mark was clearly a seasoned marathon supporter.
Our hands were sore from clapping and we'd only been there 15min. Mr. Marathon however was showing no signs of stopping- he had words of encouragement and cheers of support for everyone.
"It's a great day for a run" he called out.
And he was right. Standing down in the Don Valley along Rosedale Valley Road, the sunlight was streaming through the crimson, orange and yellow coloured trees casting dappled light on the backs of the marathoners as they passed by. The air was cool and crisp and the excitement tangible. It was enough to make me think, for a fleeting second, that I wished that I was running the marathon too.
Months ago, Meg had told me that she was going to run her first marathon...the Toronto Marathon...and that she was going to do it with Team Diabetes. Meaning, that she was going to fundraise money for diabetes research throughout her training.
My pancreas and I were touch and thrilled. Running a marathon is a huge undertaking, and to have someone want to run for my cause, for diabetes, for me....well, talk about bringing a tear to your eye.
Needless to say, when I caught sight of that bright Team Diabetes jersey striding confidently down the valley towards us, my eyes stared to well up and I could barely mask the warble in my voice as I screamed "YEAH MEG....wooooo hooooo......GO MEG....."

And then I really new, that I wished that I was running with her today.
As soon as she had passed, we took off towards the subway and raced down to Union station. We arrived at the corner just in time to see her pass by again - still looking as strong as ever.

"GO MEG! GO TEAM DIABETES! YEAAAAAAAHHHHH MEG!"

I was so proud and so happy for her. She had trained so hard for this and I knew it hadn't been easy. But it looked as though her hard work was paying off, she was rockin' today. She was making it look like a jog in the park.
We started the walk up University to secure our spot at the finish. It would be another few hours before we would see her again. In the meantime, we cheered, hollered and yelled from the sidewalk as runners trickled by. We saw the winner whiz by- on the home stretch as most people were reaching the halfway mark. I think I heard later that he had finished in 2 hours 29 minutes.
The time passed quickly and it wasn't long before we were standing at the finish line waiting with uncertainty. The clock read 3:53. I knew she wanted to finish in under 4 hours, but time was ticking. Was she okay? Was she still feeling strong? Where was she?! Would she make it?
We watched as other marathoners crossed the line - some elated, some obviously hurting, some running as if they had just started out on a Sunday jog, some holding hands, some with their children, some sprinting like their lives depended on it and others being helped by family and friends.
Then there was Meg, just steps from the finish line at 3 hours and 58 minutes. And still running!She had done it!

By the time we caught up with Meg, she was receiving a much deserved massage at the Team Diabetes tent. She was sore, but in great spirits and surrounded by her biggest fans - her mom, aunt, uncle, boyfriend, best friends, my mom and aunt, me and of course, my ever-thankful pancreas.

What's that pancreas? You think you're ready to run....a marathon you say? We'll lets not get ahead of ourselves, but maybe we could start thinking about a half.

Thanks Megs - you're an inspiration and a real Team Diabetes champion.

Winter Slipstream 2009

Connected in Motion's
1st annual Winter Slipstream
is a GO!!!!

I am excited to announce that on the weekend of
January 30th - February 1st 2009
a bunch of young adults with Type 1 diabetes will converge at
YMCA WANAKITA, an outdoor center situated on the shores of beautiful Koshlong Lake in the Haliburton Highlands.
With over 1000 acres of forest, 25km of trails and access to all the
equipment necessary to enjoy it, we'll don our long johns and woollies and head for the hills.

Mother nature permitting, we will cross-country ski, snowshoe, hike, skate on the lake, play broom ball, challenge ourselves on the high ropes course, toboggan down Cardiac Hill and build snow forts until the sun goes down.
Our goal is to spend as much time outside and active as possible.
Why? Because just like broccoli, it's good for you, and because it's so much fun to leave the city behind for a weekend and be a kid at camp again.

Of course there will be inside time too. A chance to sit down with a steaming mug of hot chocolate (it's okay, you'll need some sugar by then!) and warm yourself by the crackling fire.
Or to pull up a chair and share a delicious wholesome home cooked meal with a group of new friends. At the end of the day, there will be a warm cabin and bunk with your name on it where you can snuggle into a sleeping bag.

It won't all just be fun and games...
Okay, well most of it will. But there will also be some serious business that will need to be attended to.
Connected in Motion is committed to changing the face of diabetes programming for young adults across Canada and beyond and we need your help.

This weekend is about YOU.

Who are you? What's your story? What are your passions? What keeps you in motion?
Where have you taken your diabetes?
What motivates you to keep up with daily diabetes tasks?
Come prepared to divulge and discuss.

Remember, this is not a psychological or medical support group, leave the sob stories at the cabin door please. We all got diabetes, it was horrible for a while, in fact, sometimes it's horrible now, but we all live with it everyday. Can we move on now?

What we're looking to do is celebrate our strengths, accomplishments and successes.
By putting ourselves out there, we are hoping that people will be able to connect with others who do or want to be involved in similar things.
We, the people with diabetes, are our greatest resource. Let's put ourselves to use.

There are so many Type 1's out there doing incredible stuff. Now it's time to connect.
We think the best forum to get people talking is not in the confines of a stark hospital room,
but to get them active outside. If you agree, you should join us and help us make that a possibility for not only yourself, but for as many other Type 1's as possible.

Great! So you're coming! We can't wait to meet you!
Alongside your long johns, toque and mitts, don't forget to bring your positive attitude, accomplishments you'd like to celebrate and ideas for the future.

There will be lots of time to mingle, meet and chat with people that you can relate to.
Most importantly, there will be lots of time to GET ACTIVE and GET OUTSIDE.

Oh yeah, you don't need to be a professional snowshoe'er, All-Star cross-country skier, NHL hockey player, or Olympic broom ball player to come. Although it's great if you are!
The goal is to have fun, be active and maybe learn something new.
The only prerequisite is that you can make a darn good snowball.

Registration details are on the way...if you are interested, have any questions or know of anyone who you think would like to join us, we would LOVE to hear from you.
Please send Connected in Motion an email at
connectedinmotion@gmail.com

You can also join the Connected in Motion Facebook Group!!

Diabetic-Proof Seal

2:33am
Crap....I'm low.

2:34am.
Guess I didn't need that extra bolus just before bed to counter the effects of a late dinner - the insulin on board would have worked just fine, what was I thinking?
At least I didn't have to get up to go to the kitchen - I had a liquid shot of Dex 4 glucose right beside my alarm clock.
I reached for the tiny bottle and layed back down in bed.

Then I'm not sure what happened...sucked into that slowmo-low zone I guess.

2:37am
I still didn't have the plastic wrap off the cap yet!
With my full attention back on the bottle, I managed to find the weak part of the seal and peel back the covering. Phew. One step closer to glucose.

2:38am
I unscrew the little cap and put the bottle up to my mouth.

2:39am
I realize there is another safety seal preventing me from getting to that oh-so-needed glucose.
Crap.
At this point, I just start gnawing on the seal.
Then I remember that there is a fancy pull tab on it, but now it's wet and I can't get a good grip.
Now I'm getting frustrated.

2:40am
I press the 'light' button on my pump and the bottle is illuminated in a green glow.
Red would have been more fitting - this bottle was the devil.
By the light of the pump I see the words "Lift and Pull" printed on the safety seal...mocking me.
I AM lifting and pulling. With fingers, with teeth...everything.
The light goes out.

2:42am
Bottle in my mouth, gnawing like a rabid squirrel but not caring because I just want some freakin' glucose already....I decide the little devil is clearly 'Low-Diabetic-Proof'.

Just as I start drafting a letter to Dex 4 in my head about how inconsiderate it is to design packaging that people having lows are unable to access....the seal pops off and my efforts are finally rewarded.

On top of the World

What if this was your classroom?

Would you be more inclined to get up in the morning and go to school?
Would you be more inspired to learn?

Well, for a few days every year, some lucky central Albertan public school kids can say yes, this is their classroom. And I can tell you first hand that they are up before their teachers everyday and ready to take on concepts that would pass way over their heads in the confines of a concrete jungle.

I have been working in Alberta for the past few weeks at a private outdoor center, like I have for the past few springs and falls. Our center sees groups of mostly high schoolers for 3-days at a time. Programs vary, but the standard is a lake paddling day, an outdoor rock climbing day/mountain biking/hiking day and a river/whitewater canoeing day.

Last week however, we were invaded by little people. A big yellow school bus pulled up to the lake shore and twenty-one grade 5's and 6's bounced off.
I exchanged glances with fellow guides...
"Uh...did someone pack XS lifejackets and paddles?". These kidlets were TINY!
How were they ever going to complete our program?

Well, they showed us. Althought the smallest paddles stood taller than most of the kids, they managed to manouver just fine once in the water. Their wee legs dominated the mountain. We had chosen a hike that had great views for the entire duration, thinking, its not likely they'll make it to the top. But 4.5 hours later, there we were on the summit with 21 kidlets bouncing - on top of the world. We talked about how the ground we were standing on used to be ancient sea floor and proved it by showing them fossils. We discussed how heat and pressure created the lines, layers and patterns in the mountain sides and how glacial ice carved the valleys and created the rivers.

They LOVED it. They were interested, attentive, inquisitive and engaged.
Phew, we thought on returning back to the bus after 7 hours of hiking, we've finally worn them out.
WRONG. They still had enough energy to have a dance party on the 2 hour bus ride back to the center AND to play flashlight tag outside in the pitch dark until 11pm. THEN to get up in the morning and paddle down the river in voyageur canoes. Their energy and enthusiasm was limitless.

My preconceived notions of these kids abilities were blown to bits. Which made me realize- we are constantly, conciously and unconciously, putting limitations on others, especially kids.

Why do we do that?

Why not open the door of option and possibility and let kids run with it?
See what challenges they think are too large, which concepts too complex and which mountains too high.
Oh yeah, and guess who was at the front of the pack heading up the mountain - the two kids diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
The mountain was a classroom where they could dominate...and they knew it.
You could see it in their smiles as they stood on top of the world.

Walking for Hope

This sunday is the Diabetes Hope Foundation's 2nd annual Walk for Hope.
Over 500 people are expected to come out to raise money for the foundation's incredible programs.
The money raised will go towards providing scholarships for young adults with Type 1 heading away to post-secondary education as well as to their medical assistance program which helps families struggling under the financial burden of having a child with Type 1.
you can read more about this awesome organization at www.diabeteshopefoundation.com

I am excited to be a part of the event and for the opportunity to hopefully Connect in Motion with some incredible people.

I'll have the Pump on whole wheat...insulin on the side

I learned something the other night, completely by accident.
It all started after I ate this homemade veggie burger topped with homemade salsa, yogurt and sprouts on a whole wheat bun with wild rice salad on the side.
It all started when I flat lined.

Generally speaking in the medical world, 'flat lining' is never a good thing.

But when it comes to diabetes and charting blood sugars, a 'flat line' is the ultimate success.

Now I don't mean to brag, but check this out...

Okay, I did mean to brag. This is my REAL-Time (contant glucose monitor) graph from the 3-hour span over dinner time the other night. Not bad, eh?

Basically what this means is that a gazillion factors came together at just the right moment- prior blood sugar value, my day's activities, stress and hormones levels, timing and dosage of insulin delivery, type of food consumed, etc. A gosh-darn miracle right there in my dining room.

Most of the time, when you eat, there is a rise in blood sugar level. This is normal, predictable and often followed by a downturn, as insulin works to return blood glucose to it's original value in approximately 4 hours...in a perfect world that is. Here is my graph from the past 24-hours - see the spikes?

So the flat line was truely remarkable...which got me to thinking...
What the heck did I do?
I attribute a sizable part of the phenomenon to the meal that I ate. In retrospect, that meal was almost solely composed of medium to low GI foods. GI stands for Glycemic Index. Some smart people have rated foods by the way they impact blood sugar levels. High GI meaning they cause spikes in blood sugar, low GI meaning they produce a more controlled and slower rise and fall. The veggie burger made from quinoa and mushrooms, on the whole wheat bun, with wild rice, black bean and corn salad was a killer low GI combo - helping to keep my blood glucose stable over the three hour period during and after the meal.

With the sensor technology, I can watch my blood glucose change - as it happens. The data that I collect provides me with an opportunity to think critically about things that I do, the decisions that I make and the foods that I eat in terms of their impact on my blood sugar and ultimately my control of my diabetes.

Isn't diabetes education delicious?

Queen's Camp School

For one week of every year, Rob and I go back to Queen's- back into the PEC, the JDUC, the Ghetto- back to our old program and back to being "Physeddies". Since graduating, we have been leading annual 'Camp School' trips for the Phys Ed program. Camp school, or PHED 338 as it is officially known, is arguably the best course at Queen's.

One week of canoe tripping and outdoor experiential learning yeilds a half-credit and some of the most memorable events of most 'physeddies' university experience. Not to mention the aquisition of numerous life skills, promotion of physical activity, development of environmental awareness, introduction of new career paths and opportunity to push physical and emotional barriers. Throughout the course students are encouraged to step outside of their comfort zones, communicate, cooperate and coordinate with new people, work as a team, accomplish tasks necessary to provide food and shelter for the group and in doing so, really, truly learn something about themselves. They develop skills that can be immediately applied to their lives, which is more than can be said for many university courses.
This may sound slightly biased coming from someone who went through the program, took the course and now helps to teach the program...but really, it's true!
Seeing the impact that a week like that has on students just verifies the importance of outdoor education and experiential learning for me.

Northern Summer

Another lengthy blogging hiatus!
Summer is drawing to a close and with it, a string of guiding and paddling adventures.
This August found me paddling the Wind River in the northern Yukon. The beauty of the Peel River watershed was beyond my expectations.

While in Whitehorse prior to the trip, I was looking at a painting done by a local artist of the Ogilvie Mountains. The colours were vivid, too bright to be realistic and I thought it was a bit too surreal. The next day, as we began our drive up to Mayo (where we would fly into the river), I was caught offguard- the colours in the landscape really were there. It was as if the landscape had been painted by a giant watercolour brush - large swaths of yellows, oranges, purples, greens, browns and reds topped with stark grey mountains.
We hadn't even made it to the river...

The Wind River is a crystal clear vein of impossible turquoise blue water that flows through an expansive valley which is home to incredible wildlife and great hiking opportunities.

I suppose I was giving off such a vibe of love and respect for the river that I was given a few extra days to appreciate it's beauty. The float plane that was set to pick us up at the end of our trip couldn't make it in for two and a half days due to snow storms and blizzards in the mountains so we hunkered down on a gravel bar, started inventing new meals from foods in the bottom of the barrels, sat around the fire, ate lots of GORP and waited. Despite the beatuy of the scenery, the sounds of the planes engine was sweet music to our ears and people were happy to be 'rescued'. Luckily, I had heaps of extra insulin, pump supplies and Fruit Source bars to get me through!

Up North

This afternoon I head to Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, on route to Fort Simpson tomorrow, which will be the launch point for my first trip of the season...five days of hiking and paddling from the cabin on this lake.

Next it will be off to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory to meet our guests and prep for a two-week canoe trip on the Wind River.


Check out the Wind River at: http://nahanni.com/trips/windriver/?view=gallery

From the sounds of it the weather is good and the bugs are bad this year!
Regardless of weather, it is always an incredible experience visiting the land of the midnight sun.

More Power for PUMPING!

This weekend, I attended the Diabetes Exercise and SportsAssociation (DESA) conference in Toronto.
It took place at the MaRS center. A fitting venue, as the historic University of Toronto building was the site of the first-ever insulin injection administered to 14 year-old Leonard Thompson in 1922 by researchers Banting, Best and colleagues. Banting and Best are pictured here with a diabetic dog receiving insulin shots.

Prior to 1922, a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes meant imminent death for a person, or dog- it was only a matter of time. There were treatments of course, a whole host of herbal hoaxes and tinctures claiming to cure the disease and eliminate symptoms, but these were all money making ploys. The sole method of combating diabetes prior to the discovery of insulin was the 'starvation diet'. The diet was by no means a cure, however it was the most effective way to 'buy time' for the children suffering from a malfunctioning pancreas. Children would be allowed to eat only what their bodies could handle in the absence of insulin - 300-400 calories of thrice-boiled vegetables and other culinary horrors per day. On top of suffering from the symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes, the children faced extreme hunger and malnutrition, dramatic weightloss and unbearable lethargy as their parents and doctors literally starved them to death waiting for a cure.

Today, eighty-five years later, we are still waiting for a cure, but diabetes is no longer a death sentence. Technology has come along way since the days of grinding up hundreds of pork and beef pancreases and injecting the extract with glass syringes and reusable needle tips which needed to be boiled and sharpened with steel wool before each use. We've come a long way...even from the first insulin pump in the 1970's!





Technology is getting better, smaller and more refined as each day goes by, however technology is only as good as the people who are using it. In Canada, access to the latest in diabetes management technology, namely insulin pumps and constant glucose management systems, has been limited, due to high cost and lack of government funding and support.

Which is why yesterday's announcement from our new Minister of Health, David Caplan comes as a HUGE relief, and a timely one for me as it will go down in the books as another historic marker in the continuing history of diabetes.

"Come September, more than 1,300 adult Ontario residents with Type-1 diabetes will be eligible to receive free insulin pumps under the initiative, Caplan told a news conference in Toronto.Ontario is spending $741 million over the next four years on the fight against diabetes in an effort to head off the growing spate of health problems related to the disease."

Now comes the challenging part...how will they choose which 1300 people will receive the pumps? Will they cover the cost of supplies and consumables? Will there be enough diabetes nurse educators to get people set up on these free pumps?

Regardless, this is a massive step in the right direction and a huge success for people living with Type 1 diabetes in this province.

Ontario will soon be powered by pumping! Waaaaaaaa Hooooooooooo!

Welcome!
My blog is currently under construction.
Connected in Motion is hoping to have a real website sometime soon!

Until then, you can find more info on the specifics of Connected in Motion at this link....

www.poweredbypumping.blogspot.com

it's in the stars

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
Take a trip, invest in your future or hang out with someone who inspires and motivates you. It's all about what you can do to get your dreams off the ground. Surround yourself with new friends who have similar interests.





I don't make a habit of basing major life decisions on the alignment of the planets and zodiacs as they cross galactic paths with the sun and moon. However, from time to time, events in my life coincide with what the zodiacs have to say or...more realistically, what the lady who writes the horoscope section in the newspaper has to say.
Either way, words are words. I'm not going to lie, I like the serendipity of it all.

My horoscope from yesterday was bang on. Not that it was news to me, but that it defined what I have been doing for the past few weeks. What exactly have I been doing?
Well, sitting at a computer day after day, hour after hour, compiling photos, making videos, writing mission statements, visions, goals and business plans. I've been researching non-profit status, sole proprietorships and how to build websites, among other things. I've been doing the behind the scenes work that needs to be done to, hopefully, get my dreams off the ground.

This weekend, I will be attending the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association (DESA) conference in Toronto. A mêlée of people with diabetes or working in the field of diabetes and sport will be there. Athletes, doctors, nurses, researchers, organizations, foundations, drug companies, pump companies, people with diabetes and people who work with people with diabetes.
Talk about surrounding myself with people with like interests! And as for hanging out with people who inspire and motivate me, I think I'll have that covered too!

I am looking forward to bringing Connected in Motion along for the ride, to introduce it in its infancy and get peoples' feedback. Funny enough, the whole premis behind CIM is to connect people with like interests so that they can inspire and motivate one another.

Geesh, those horoscope writers are good!

As for 'take a trip'...I leave for the Northwest Territories and Yukon next week to guide a few canoe trips in the north...another investment in my future.

Maybe it's serendipity, maybe the planets really have aligned, regardless, it has got me reflecting on where I am, what I have been doing and where I want to go. Confirmation that putting time and energy into my dreams and keeping focused on my goals is what I need to do right now...it's in the stars.

Connected in Motion presents...

Powered by Pumping...the New Zealand chapter

Paddling sans Glucometer

Yesterday, we went paddling at the Elora Gorge.
I made a rookie mistake...I forgot my glucometer.
'Forgetting my bits' as my mom likes to call it, rarely happens.
When it does however, I find that it is always a change in routine that causes the stuff up.

Normally my glucometer will be in one of four places:
1. Kitchen counter
2. Backpack
3. Purse
4. Night stand

Once those locations are exhausted...it's lost. And if I am not near those locations, well, things become a little more difficult.

When I am paddling, things are simplified substantially...there is only one option...the Waterproof box.

So, when I looked in the waterproof box as we got ready to hit the water and saw no gluc-o-meter it was clearly a function of a change in routine prior to the paddling excursion.
I racked my brains, the last test was that morning and I was....shoot...where was I?

Regardless, I was hours away from my gluc and planning to paddle all afternoon.

When in doubt, I let my sugars run high. Before we hit the water I turned down my basal rate on my pump, had a little snack of carb and figured that would probably buy me a few hours of whitewater paddling.
By the time I got back to my gluc that evening (which was right where I left it in Rob's basement!), my blood sugars were running a solid 17.8mmol/L. ("normal" is 4-7mmol/L)

Better high than low for a short while, but better to just remember the darn glucometer.

In the kitchen with dad

My dad is not the first person I would go to for advice in the kitchen. He is a man who puts cucumbers in pasta sauce and makes strawberry and yogurt omelettes. However, I have to hand it to him...his creations always turn out tasty, I have just learned not to ask what's in them.

I was talking to my dad one morning from Australia. I think he could tell that I was starting to anticipate coming home and the decisions and choices that would have to be made upon my return.
"Just think about it as if you are out collecting ingredients" he suggested.
"Ingredients?"
"Every experience you have down there is another ingredient for you to bring back"
"But what am I cooking?"
"You don't know yet"
"Well how can I go grocery shopping if I don't know what I am cooking?"
"Don't worry about what you're cooking. Once you lay all the ingredients out on the counter, something will come to you. You will see it laying out there in front of you, waiting to be turned into something delicious. Right now you're shopping- the more variety the better. Then come home and get cooking"

Now THAT was an analogy I could relate to- combining my experiences, adventures, education and passions as flavourful ingredients in my own unique recipe, and not being affraid to mix things that at first, may not seem to go together.

4 cups of outdoor adventures
2 cups New Zealand
1 cup Australia
3/4 cup cycling
2 cups canoeing
a pinch of diabetes...

Kind of reminds me of my Dad's famous Kraft Dinner....

2 Frozen Hot Dogs
1 box Kraft Dinner
1 small bag of Plain Chips
chucks of cheddar cheese
ketchup

Place the hot dogs in the bowl. Cover with steaming hot KD (made to the prefect consistancy determined by personal preference...for me, slightly runny). Crunch chips in your hands and sprinkle over the KD. Top with chuncks of cheddar and ketchup. Enjoy!

I believe the key to my dad's culinary success is that he is not affraid to mix unconventional ingredients and is never constrained by a recipe. In fact, that seems to be his approach both in and out of the kitchen.

What now?

It's all a little surreal, sitting in my kitchen, typing on the same keyboard which wrote my first blog, drinking tea from the same mug. Not much has changed. The neighbours built a new deck, we got a big new recycling bin, there is a giant big box store being built down the road and my cat is a little fatter, otherwise...same old.

Did we really truly just spend the past 4 months on the underside of the world? Did we really bike around the whole South Island of New Zealand? Were we really in Australia?
Maybe it's just the jet lag, but it feels like a dream.

Looking back at the photos helps, but I think the real significance of what we've just done has yet to sink in.

"What was the best part of the trip?" people have already asked "Where was your favourite place?" and of course the inevitable "So, what now?".

I am having a really hard time quantifying, picking bests and favourites. New Zealand/Australia, biking/caravanning, surfing/hiking - I don't think these things can really be compared.

The easy answer...I loved it all. Of course there would be things I would do differently, places I wouldn't go back to, things I had wished I had seen, but I think every part of the trip was important.

Regardless of whether I loved or hated it, the thing for me now is to discover the impact of my travels and interactions. How will what I have just done and who I have just met become a part of who I am and what I do and not just fade away between the pages of a photo album?

Our last big adventure here in Aussie was heading out on a tall ship for two days and two nights in the Whitsunday Islands, Great Barrier Reef.

We sailed around the islands, stopping only to snorkle and explore the 98% silica sand beaches.

We swam, sunned and snorkled ourselves silly- soaking it all in as our time in Aussie was drawing to an end.

Done with deadly

We cracked.
After over a month of convincing ourselves that we could find our own darn kangaroos, wombats and crocodiles, we finally dug deep and paid to go to an Australian animal sanctuary.
It was actually worth it.
Not only did Kath and I almost get a kangaroo to bite Rob in the butt, but Kath finally got to pet a koala (something we had been hearing about since Day 1).
We also learned a fair bit about the Aussie animals from the rangers in the park. Did you know that a crocodile's sex is determined by the temperature it is exposed to in the egg?

There were koalas, kangaroo, emus, crocs, wombats, and more. There were also snakes....

I watched from as far back as possible (with feet up on the bench) as the ranger pulled snake after snake out of oversized pillowcases.
I listened as she told us all about the different snakes, how to tell which ones were venemous and which ones weren't. Which ones could kill 100 humans with one strike, and which ones could only kill a small child. I noted that most venemous snakes have skinny heads, not boxy heads and that you shouldn't try to play with snakes in the wild like she was playing with them in the park. I also noted that snakes don't like to be surprised, taunted or stepped on...among other things.

After the crocodile feeding session, and a serious hand washing session, we hit the road. satisfied with our Aussie animal encounters.

The next day, we drove into the rainforest outside of Cairns to find a waterfall that cascaded into a fresh water swimming hole. It was H-O-T and muggy and we were all feeling a little groggy. A cool dip was in order.

We got into our bathers and headed down to the rocks. I stopped to read a sign about the Aboriginal history of the area...apparently, this was the place that the Aboriginal people believe their 'creator' brought all of the SNAKES!!! Perfect...my kind of place. At least those snakes have had a few million trillion years to move on and find new homes...or so I thought.
We continued walking down the dirt path. It was then that things started to move in slow motion. I felt Rob's arm swing out in front of me. I looked down and saw a big patterned stick crossing the path...hmmmm....a big patterned stick...snake? stick? snake? SNAKE!!!
My yells made Kath, who was walking in front of us, shorten her gait mid-stride, bringing her foot down less than a foot from the stick/snake.

By this time, I was 3 meters back down the trail in the direction we had come. Kath and Rob were close behind. The snake, all six or seven feet of it, the diameter of a cob or corn, lay unmoving, aside from its little tongue.

Kath ALMOST stepped ON the snake. I thanked the snake gods that the snake was just about as groggy as the three of us or Kath would have been snake food.

One very important thing that I think the ranger could have touched on when talking about snake safety, was where to walk in the bush...from personal experience I have decided that is is safest to walk second in line.

Here I am petting the joey...no snakes or crocs for me thanks!

Sand, sand, and more sand

When we went to Farewell Spit in New Zealand (the massive sand dunes stretching out into the ocean at the very northern tip of the South Island) I was blown away by the sand. I thought I wouldn't see that much sand again until I traveled to the Sahara Desert. However, that was just a warm up for the amount of sand that Australia has on it's East Coast alone.
Last week we went to Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world.

We joined a group of 6 other backpackers and rented a 4x4 vehicle with all the gear we would need for 3 days on the island. Unfortunately, Howard had to be left on the mainland, 4x4's are the only way to get around the island as there are only sand road and beaches to drive on. As promised, there was A LOT of sand on Fraser Island. There were beautiful beaches and crystal clear dune lakes and streams.

The company we rented our 4x4 from called the self-drive trip an Authentic Aussie Camping Experience. I think that referred to the camping equipment they gave us, as I have never seen anything like it.
The tents were super simple to put up- one pole in the middle, tee pee style. However, they didn't fully close. The doors simply flapped over the entrance leaving and opening at the bottom.
Now, as you well know by now, I like to be organized and prepared. So it should come as no surprise that I have read every section of the guide book on Australia's Dangerous, Poisonous and Deadly Creatures. Australia has more deadly things...spiders, snakes, insects, etc. than any where else...and Aussie are quick to remind you that many of these creepy crawlies pack lethal punches. Not to mention the dingos on Fraser Island...the purest, wildest strand on earth.

So when the same Aussies turned around and sent us into the bush with a tent that doesn't close, I started to question whether they really want the tourists to return from these 'Authentic Aussie Camping Experiences'. However, I ignored my suspicions and went with the old saying...when in Australia, do like the Aussies.
Below is an email I sent home upon returning from Fraser Island....my "Authentic Aussie Camping Experience".


So last night, at about 2am I woke up screaming in our tent...something had just stung me in the neck. I started freaking out.
Rob woke up and instantly turned a light on...I was freaking out trying to feel if my airway was closing...I was sure that I had only 8 minutes to live and we were on a sand island with no help for hours...
"Relax, relax, relax" Rob kept saying...and I kept thinking I have to listen to him...I read that it is super important to keep calm if you get bitten by poisonous things so you don't send the bad stuff pumping through your body.
But then I felt something string my leg inside my sleeping bag.
By now Kath was awake and I was frantically trying to get OUT of my sleeping bag.
"It stung my neck" I kept yelling "It's stinging my leg"...2 minutes left of life now I am sure....
Then I see it...down near the bottom of my sleeping bag...A CRAB!!! A freakin' crab!

So I am still alive, I have a crab bite mark on my jugular vein, but otherwise I survived unscathed... and Kath and Rob think it's the funniest thing ever that i freaked out so much over a crab...but Rob admits that it was a rather large crab to have on ones neck...

Okay, so maybe I was little paranoid from all the reading material. Regardless, I am looking forward to getting back to my own, North American tent, where the doors FULLY CLOSE and the only things we have to worry about are big mammals like bears and cougars.