we are doing a lot more walks closer to home to train for a bigger one next year (maybe)

Brian,
Hope that your health improves and that you are back walking again soon. If you venture into South Australia on your Grey Nomad travels, there are some wonderful walks – both short and long – that I'm sure you would love.

We're off back trekking around Everest this year but on the northern (Tibetan side) this time, our goal is Advanced Base Camp… love those hills…

We still have more New Guinea walks planned on our never-ending and always growing Walks List…

I think that Crowie is walking in south west Tassie – the haul up the Ironbounds is great training for Kokoda.

Good luck everyone with your 2010 treks and beyond…

Good on you all, you lucky younger people. Although I certainly cannot complain as my life so far and will be the same into the future has been full of adventures and interesting diversions along the way, including Antartica.

Sure great to see people who are able to do so getting out and about as there are those who can who never do until they realise that it is actually too late to do so by that time they cannot.

Life is one big adventure and challenge make the most of it and enjoy doing so.

Lorna,
Just the two of us did a 35 day trek on the Nepalese side of Everest in March/April 2004. We flew into Phaplu (4 days walk south of Lukla) and walked to Namche to acclimatise the up the Thame, Dingboche and Gokyo valleys. We climbed Kala Pattar and Gokyo Ri for views of Everest as well as a trip to Base Camp and a walk/scramble ascent of several small peaks (>5000m). We used a Nepalese based company booked through an Adelaide, SA adventure tour company. We are still in regular contact with our sirdar who is now living in America. Have recommended this company to several people since and all have had a great experience. They did both individual and group treks.

Don't know the forum protocol for this but am happy to discuss companies further in a PM as we researched about 20 companies before making our booking. Also, after attending many information nights, it was interesting to experience the same companies in the field and see how they delivered.

This year we are going to the Tibetan side of Everest with another Adelaide adventure company. Starting in Beijing, train to Lhasa then 4WD to Everest and aiming to trek to Advanced Base Camp (>6000m). Acclimatisation plays a significant role in these journeys.

Brian,
Thanks for your sage advice:
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page

Does KTL trek Black Cat?

Wow….just back from Tassie….completed the South Coast Track….yes Gail you are right the Ironbound range is great training for Kokoda…in fact the west side approach is quite clear and the track is visible from the bottom to the top…it is quite steep but the views are fantastic….the eastern side was very Kokoda like…dense vegetation / canopies…lots of mud and water and plenty of obstacles to climb over and under…and just like Kokoda I found the down harder going than the up…..Knees tend to get pounded by taking the strain of stopping body and pack hurtly downwards …the walk sections along the beaches were great and going to sleep listening to the waves of the southern ocean each night were very calming…… one of the most interesting walks in Tassie so far…..and yes the famous bog track got me a few times up to my thighs

does anyone have any info on the black cat trail ?…I think the Sandakan Track would also be another good trek…..

I have managed to talk my wife into a trek ( first ever) Queen Charlotte Track in NZ….they have lodges, hot baths and fine dining at the end of each day…she agrees it is a good compromise for both of us….

Hi Peter

yes there is bog on that trek as well…in fact most of the South West Coast treks including the Port Davey Track have bog….the south coast track has lots of bog as well, although on our 5 day walk we had minimal rain and the bog patches were only thigh deep in parts….I haven't done the frenchmans peak walk yet….most of the walks in the western arthurs involve walking across the Lodden Plains (often called the sodden plains) lots of bog….the only track that has been bog minimised is the overland track which has had alot of board walks constructed.

Peter

I agree, time is always critical….a lot of people have the luxury of time and can spend 8-10 days doing a 80-90 klm trek….I cant afford the time away from my business so I plan faster trips…sure it is a bit harder but I find that by being organised and having early starts and reducing pack weights I can always find time to take photos and have a good look around and normally arrive at intended campsites with plenty of time to explore. Cradle mountain and the Overland track is a good walk…side trips to Mt Ossa are good as well….I climbed Mt Ossa in November and encountered thigh deep snow…the Huts on the track are good as well….the next trip I'm planning is to come in to Mt Pelion from the Walls of Jerasulem (Arm River Track) do the back section of the Overland up to the Acropolis.
I have thought that with our coastline on the east coast it would be good to have a long distance walking route similar to the AT or PCT trail in America…