hemp hemp hooray !

Hemp foods application Australia update

2011-05-02T20:28:00.000+09:30

my journey

2010-10-24T05:45:00.000+10:30

Sitting here in the front dining foyer of the Apollo hotel in Amsterdam in relative comfort looking through the windows to a cold blustery day, the boats in the canal outside the hotel rocking with the wind and the waves as long boats go past. People rugged up and with umbrellas as they walk and more often ride past the window going to and from wherever they have to. I have a sense of overwhelming gratitude to life. How did I get here? Was it sheer luck, did I earn it or was it just meant to be? On my 4th Whiskey on ice I can't help but think about life and I guess the enormity of it. My beautiful wife Teresa who I think deserves this experience more than I has battled through the school spring fair today, setting up, working, then packing up her stall at the end of it. She has dealt with compounding work and 3 busy children for so long now without me I don't know how she does it, even illness doesn't stop her! Amsterdam? Unreal? Never did I think I would be here, alone! I've seen so much today that it is alittle overwhelming to think that right now at home it is 1.30 in the morning and I know Teresa and the kids are fast asleep safe in their beds trusting that I am ok. I guess over the last 6 yrs of me travelling like I do for work they are used to it. Do I like it that they are used to it? No. Do I wish I was there with them? With every cell in my body. Do I wish I didn't have this opportunity to travel like I do, no way! Am I thankful for the guys I work with and the company I work for? Hell yea! Does all this do my head in? Definitely! (I keep on having to adjust the number of Whiskey's I am having....)I guess opportunities are given to us so that we learn and grow from them. I am meant to be here now, that's all! If I had a million dollars in the bank would I bring those who I love over here to experience this? Most definitely!!! Missing everybody XX

Ride up the belly of Oz. '09

2009-11-05T20:38:00.010+10:30

So Ethan and I headed off on Fathers day ’09 for our big adventure, the job at hand was to get Ethan to Katherine in a weeks time for 2 weeks of work experience.

We had been planning this trip for months.
We set off in some slight Adelaide Hills drizzle, first night Port Augusta with family. Second day we set off early up the Stuart Highway to Coober Pedy along the way riding through high winds and increasing temperatures. The new Bandicoot trailer was handling the journey without a problem. I was very happy. We reached Coober Pedy with enough time to unpack, shower and checkout the Underground motel and the museum next door, and then it was pizza for tea.

Off again first thing to the amazing vista’s of the Coober Pedy landscape, mile after mile of Mullick dumps. Destination today Uluru, another big day of riding and Ethan thinks his bum is about to fall off. The vastness of our big outback is amazing, the ’95 CBR900RR Fireblade flying along with its trailer, certainly a strange site for some as usually they have a cruiser bike pulling them. But hey, it does the job for me. Arrived at the Yulara campground alittle before sundown with just enough time to set the camp up and cook some tea. We strolled up the sand dune to watch the sun go down on the rock, “can’t wait until tomorrow we say!” Tomorrow comes and we have the whole day to investigate Uluru and the Olgas, toast and eggs for breaky and we’re off. Went in through the gate, paid the money and wow, as we got closer we couldn’t believe it could get any bigger.

That day was great, we first checked out the cultural centre and read all the signs and yes the local Aboriginal people do ask people not to climb the rock. They say that it is their spiritual home and that it is a dangerous climb where about 37 people have died which makes them sad also. So seeing that I had climbed the rock when I was young (before you even had to pay to get in) I left it up to Ethan. He made me very proud and said " ah lets just walk around it eh Dad!"
So after doing abit of a stroll around the base and looking at the rock wall art we road to The Olgas (Kata Tjuta), had some lunch and walked up into the Walpa Gorge walk.

It was lovelt at the end where they have a big platform to admire the focal piont at the end where the 2 sides meet. We sat and watched the shadow of the sun move across the rocks, Ethan did some poetry and I did some writing and a drawing.
After this it was back to Uluru for the Sunset show and what a show. Ethan had made some hot soup and a coffee for dad and we sat back and waited... After waking up on the second morning at Uluru before sun-up we packed up and again headed off. Next stop Alice Springs... .... another camp site and another tea cook up, still don't know who's rig I'd rather. I know I'd rather my fuel economy. The trailer made a great kitchen bench.

Again it was a quick look around Alice in the afternoon then back to camp ready for another early start. Ethan's bum slowly getting better. Up before the sun again and at last Ethan was getting up before me and heading for the showers, a pleasant surprise. Next stop was the Tropic of Capricorn. We were going to stay at Tennant Creek but opted to ride on until the Three Ways Roadhouse. There we found the perfect tent space under a tree right next to the pool and even though the temperature was around 37degC the water felt like it was about 2degC. Still meant for a relaxing afternoon.

more soon....