Cooloola walk and musings about the environment

Photos: 1 and 3: strangler fig - a parasite that starts as a seed blown on to the top of a tree, then spreads it's roots downwards, and gradually surrounds and squeezes the tree to death.
2: jungle fern amongst the paperbark trees
3,4 my view from the pier.

(click on a photo for a large version).

Went walking in the Cooloola National park – a large area North of Noosa that goes all the way up to Fraser Island. 2 days of beautiful views, and an evening totally alone in a campsite, where I sat on a pier on the large lake and went into spiritual communion with nature – as I do sometimes. It was a really recharging experience. In this I have something in common with the greens – the love and preservation of wild places for our sanity. Though I do not share most of their other views – Love of the top-down enforced commune and distaste of the self-organizing free-market and their fear that the green apocalypse is just around the corner. They’ve been predicting apocalypses in different forms (mass starvation, the coming ice age…) since the 60s, and have a track record of getting it wrong. It’s worth remembering that some of the most hideous pollution has occurred in communist countries – East Germany was appalling. And is occurring right now in China, with the most polluted towns on earth.

I noted that Malaysia had very few large national parks, and saw examples of illegal logging by small time loggers, and illegal burnoffs by farmers. Also tiny 2-man fishing boats going past with their noisy engines, the horizon lit up by halogen lights used by squid-fishermen…. Not to mention the beaches too often littered with plastic and polystyrene. You get much more of a wilderness experience 1 hour away from Sydney than in most Asian parks. In Nepal too, the hillsides are covered with terraced farming, erosion is a big problem. In Africa, poaching kills off endangered species.

In conclusion, the richer a country is, the less people have to scratch a meager living fishing with tiny boats or breaking their back on terraced farms, or poaching, and the more wilderness is preserved. This means that policies which get poor countries to a high standard of living as soon as possible are good for wilderness preservation … not exactly the aim of green policies, it seems. As for industrial pollution - the richest countries also have less of that - compare China to Switzerland, or Japan for example. As for man-made c02 being a problem - see my post later on global warming. (note that temperatures dropped between 1940 and 1970 - while co2 levels rose).

the creation of Rich countries can be achieved by encouraging good governance (democracy, lack of corruption, rule of law) and… the free market. There is a definite correlation between high standards of living and the extent to which a country has “economic freedom” – or a free market situation.

Kids Camp - Mt Barney National Park, Aus

Photos: (click on a photo for a larger version)

1: view from a promontory day1
2:The group. Damien the teacher LHS.
3:Mt Barney view from high camp day2
4: Day3 camp
5: Day3 climbing

Just back from a week in the field with 14 yr old kids. It all happened very quickly –I sent in my application form to the outdoor temp agency “Coefficient” in Brisbane on Mon 3 sept. 2 days later I get a call from “critter” – the nickname for the boss of coefficient. He has work for me the following Sunday, doing a recce, then Monday setting up climbs, then Tue-fri with the kids. I am happy to be working again, with so little trouble.

I get some last minute gear, including a long-coveted Icebreaker Merino wool superfine longsleeved base layer- Has the big advantage that it hardly smells at all after 5 days in the field, as opposed to synthetics like polypropylene. Also some Powerbars to keep me going towards the end of the week. And a whole batch of different sized drybags, as I sold some to my Canadian flatmates when I left Malaysia.
Gotta keep those clothes and sleeping bag dry !

So I got a greyhound down to Brisbane, then shared a car with other instructors – a guy who had been flown up from Victoria, an-ex-fireman from the UK, and an Irishman. We spent Sunday being shown around the beautiful property Near Mt Barney Nat park on the NSW northern border. Culminates in a 550m high ridge with plunging views into Mt Barney Nat. Park. Monday setup top rope climbs in a gully with 2 other instructors. Tuesday, met the kids and went to the first camp.

There were 180 of them, from St Pauls’s school in Nth Brisbane. A fairly posh school. Divided into 10 groups of 18, with 1 instructor and 1 or 2 teachers. 2 of the groups were “hard core” and went on a 2.5 day trek in Mt Barney Nat. Park. The rest of us rotated campsites every evening and did a variety of activities during the day:

Walking up hills eg: 2hrs up a steep hill to the highest camp with tremendous views. Had a girl collapse – probably overheating/underdrinking, pulled her off the ground into a sitting position and poured water over her, which calmed her down. Then went slowly back up. Had fires almost every evening – very pleasant, Sang French songs I had brought along – which they enjoyed. Also duet of “Desperado” with the teacher. Listened to two girls harmonizing beautifully. Got them Abseiling 40m down, mountain biking at high speed, doing the climbs in the gully, doing high ropes and a flying fox, and low ropes over a dam. We had food and water at the campsites. They carried freeze dried meals, which were quite tasty, and cooked on army-style Hexamine solid-fuel stoves.

We had wonderful weather – sharp winter sun, with a cool refreshing breeze, rarely really hot, but quite a bit of glare. I was wondering how I would cope with Aussie kids, but it turned out quite well. They were hard to quieten down the first evening, but after that, calmed down, listened to briefings, and got to bed early as they were tired. Showed quite a bit of initiative – getting the fire going, packing in the morning after breakfast without being asked. Had to be reined in during the walks, as some of the boys really plowed ahead and we needed to keep the group together. Had to prompted to clean up packages after meals, each time.

I got good feedback from the teacher (ex-PE teacher, now head of middle school), who said I was a good instructor. Also the kids, who were surprised I had only been a leader for 6 months and said I was good. Always good to hear… and be appreciated for one’s skills and personality and effort.

On the last day they gave me 3 hip-hip hurrays, and I shook hands all around. I’ll be posting up the photos I took on “yahoo photos” and emailing the weblink to the teacher, who will give it to the kids.

Also got well paid – Coefficient has the highest rates in Australia. Thanks to enterprise bargaining, "Critter" sat down with the staff and setup different pay rates: You get paid different rates depending on the hours worked in the day, which is a nice change. Cause the days with the kids are 6 or 7 am till 10 pm or so (15 hrs). Arrived back in Noosa at 830 pm after 2 hours in a car, plus 2.5 hours in a Greyhound. A bit tired saturday, but less wear than during the Malaysian program. Less hot, plus less tiring logistics involved., plus the kids are more fun, as they are not shy and have more initiative.

More work next Mon and Tues, at an outdoor center 30 minutes south of Noosa. Monday, walking year 11 kids up Mt Coolum twice. I love going uphill with a pack - yay ! life's good.

Below: click on the arrow to play a video !

Europe’s Muslim problem

Photos:

1: Masoud (Ahmad Shah Masoud) The leader of the Northern alliance in Afghanistan - now that's a luminous face, full of nobility. Contrast with a pic of al-Zarkawi, or the faces in the 2nd photo. . From the book "Fighting Masoud's War".

2. islamo-fascists in Europe, in full swing.

And you thought Irak had a security problem…..

Oh my God read these articles on Sweden and weep…

I hesitated to post this cause it’s so depressing and rather terrifying – but we need to be warned. It also relates to terrorism, as what is being done in Swedish cities amounts to terrorism against the Swedes – sanctioned and encouraged by muslim families and preachers. And you won’t see this on SBS… they’d do a docu on “nice muslims we know in Melbourne”.

It shows rather plainly that we can be as accommodating to International terrorists or local Muslim gangs (like Sweden is) as we like, they will not spare us. This is a fight to the death (in moderate arab countries as well).

Sweden is the canary in the coalmine – if the rest of Europe, and even Australia doesn’t take note, we’re fucked. The violence below is so tribal and nihilistic…
It’s very similar to Hitler’s brownshirts who went around beating people up viciously, intimidating journalists and such before he was elected.

Readers - In case you think I think “a good muslim is a dead muslim”, There are some muslims I admire. Massoud is one, a devout Muslim I would have fought and died for. He was the charismatic leader of the Northern alliance, fighting the Russians, then the Taliban in Afghanistan. He warned the West about the dangers of Taliban-sponsored terrorism, before sept 11. This kind of muslim leader is the hope for muslims and us – as he wanted to make Afghanistan democratic and tolerant, and go beyond the petty infighting and tribalism. He was assassinated when a "journalists" camera packed with explosives blew up in front of him, a few days after sept. 11 (al-quaeda).

Extracts from an internet article:

Malmø, Sweden. The police now publicly admit what many Scandinavians have known for a long time: They no longer control the situation in the nations's third largest city. It is effectively ruled by violent gangs of Muslim immigrants. Some of the Muslims have lived in the area of Rosengård, Malmø, for twenty years, and still don't know how to read or write Swedish. Ambulance personnel are attacked by stones or weapons, and refuse to help anybody in the area without police escort. The immigrants also spit at them when they come to help.

Native Swedes are leaving the city in droves, as crime is rampant and the police publicly admit they don't control all parts of the city. There are now gangs in Malmö specialized in assaulting old people visiting the graves of relatives. Robberies have increased with 50 % in Malmö only during the fall of 2004. The city is descending into general chaos. The people abandoning the city mention crime and fear of the safety of their children as the main reason for leaving.

In Husby, a Stockholm suburb, gangs of immigrant youngsters are harassing other visitors who come to use the swimming pool. A Swedish school class was attacked and robbed by a large group of teenage boys shouting "Swedish bastards! (Svennejävlar) You don't belong here!"

Neither the students nor the teachers dare testify to the police about the incident. Their fears are well-founded, as threats against witnesses in Swedish court cases have quadrupled between 2000 and 2003.

Two Swedish girls were also sent home from school for wearing sweaters showing a tiny Swedish flag. The headmaster was concerned that this might be deemed offensive by some immigrants. Sweden crawls to Muslims in every way imaginable, and it still isn't enough. There are still Muslim radicals who want to attack it. How are leftists going to spin it when the terror attacks come? Since Islamic terror is caused by occupation and oppression, which illegal settlements are Swedes going to withdraw from to please the Muslims? Stockholm? They've already de facto withdrawn from Malmö.

The threats against Sweden should serve as a lesson to those who still claim that Islamic terrorism is caused by "Israeli aggression" or "American foreign policy". Sweden, a retirement home for foreign war criminals and reputedly where Iraqi ex-dictator Saddam Hussein wants to spend his last years, doesn't have a colonial past. Yet it is probably the most pathetic dhimmi nation in the Western world, even if facing some stiff competition for the title. It subsidizes Palestinian terror conferences at a time when anti-Jewish harassment by Muslims is so bad that Swedish Jews sign up for service in the IDF to escape. (Israeli army).

(end of extract)

And a swedish reader says:

I'm a Swedish living in Stockholm. I am 40 years old. It's true the situation in Sweden is catastrophic. Twenty years ago, I was proud of my country. Today I'm very sad because of the situation. It's not safe to walk the streets at night in Stockholm anymore. Arab kids openly show disrespect of Swedes, robbing them of mobile phones just to show their power. Gang rapes of young, always Swedish girls, is nowadays in the news every week. What the media don't report, however, is that the rapists almost ALWAYS are of Arab origin. There is no such thing as gang-raping Swedish men, I promise you.

It all started in the 80's. Iranian and Iraqi, Turkish "refugees" started coming. I remember the first ones coming to Stockholm. Today it's their kids who are ruling the streets.

For the full article:

http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/Fjordman50506.htm

a blogger says:

Talk about not learning from history..multiculturalism is nothing but "tribalism" and the aggressive tribes will eventually win out over the peaceful tribes. But i guess that is what you get with a socialist ideology permeating through Europe.

A swede says:

I'm one of the thousands of swedes who has fled Malmo. It's a nightmare.

Another thing worth mentioning is that a PUBLIC SCHOOL in Malmo has decided to have arabic as first language! This must be unique in the western world.

Worth mentioning is also the fact we in sweden are so tolerant we even put people in jail for not being tolerant enough. This is not a joke. It's the truth.

Also, if you join the biggest (legal) party that is against this mass immigration you risk being kicked out of the union, sacked from your job, being terrorised by left wing extremists etc.

The only hope I have is that foreign journalists writes about this. The media in sweden is extremely political correct and the government has with a hate crime law practically forbidden free discussion on the internet. Some discussion forums exists where the server is in the US or somewhere else where the swedish government cant close it down. But of course, these discussions never reach the majority. Only people aware of the problems find these sites.

My thoughts:

Malaysian muslims don’t behave like this, by and large, but then their nation is already muslim, also a much more tolerant islam than that of the EuroMuslims.

The fun and games has only started in Europe, my old home.. with the mass muslim riots in Paris 1.5 yrs ago, the assassination of Theo Van Gogh, the film director in Holland (for doing a film critical of muslim’s treatment of women), the regular intifada (described as such by the French police chief) which the police, firemen, ambulance workers etc are subjected to in the muslim dominated housing projects in France, and in Sweden, and in most Euro nations – attacks with stones, Molotov cocktails and the like. As well as gang rapes of girls who are not muslim, or are muslim but go to dances and other “slutty” behaviour. Yes it’s a depressing picture, but it’s true

This is the result of the imbecilic stubbornness and blindness of the so-called elites and policies of multi-culti utopianism in Europe, and a lack of self-respect and self-knowledge in Europeans that amounts to suicide, or a death wish. It’s a warning for other countries – don’t open the floodgates of muslim immigration unless you have a death wish. Get tough with existing migrants or else become like Beirut – a hopeless nihilist hate-filled misogynist mentally sick chaos

I note the same suicidal tendencies in many “intellectuals” in Australia and even the US. Universities are full of lecturers who routinely depreciate western civilization and tell us terrorism would stop if only we were nicer to terrorists or accommodated their demands (the beaten wife syndrome…If I’m nicer to my husband, He’ll stop beating me up). They are far more ambitious than intellectuals give them credit for – they want more than Israel’s destruction or Irak , they want world Islamic domination – that all nations become “dar-al-islam” (the house of Islam). Nations that are not yet conquered are called “dar-al-harb” (the house of war). And don’t be fooled by the appeasing statements from Muslim organizations in western countries – the Koran has a doctrine called “Takiya” – muslims are allowed to lie and play nice to fool the infidel adversary, so they can stab him in the back when they are good and ready. It’s a Trojan horse situation.

I get worried sometimes, that we in the west don't have the guts or the lucidity to fight for our future... whether it's journalists downplaying the dangers of islamic terrorism, or people saying "war is bad" --- it's not as bad as living in fear and loathing, getting intimidated or attacked daily, or slavery. Just ask the Eastern Europeans what it was like to live with Russia as their master, up until very recently. About as fun as being Zombie... and Islamic domination is worse.

I have a cousin in the UK who's 11 yrs old, and I don't want her to grow up in a shitty world where islamic terror dominates Europe, where women are threatened or attacked in the street. Or where small atomic bombs are going off in shopping centers thanks to Iran's complicity with terror networks, supported by Russia trying to get back some of it's superpower status.

Lets fight with gusto... for the future of our kids. It's worth it. Lets get some of that spirit you see in the film "300" about Spartans fighting the Persian invasion. It's the job of all of us, not just professional soldiers – for example standing up to the Lebanese muslim thugs in Sydney, by naming them as such, and fighting them with armed police (and even armed citizens - though, sigh, I don’t see that happening soon), instead of the politically correct rubbish of pretending that Muslim gangs don’t exist. It’s worth reading a Cronulla schoolteacher’s letter to a minister on the reality of the intimidation she and her friends got regularly on the beach, by groups of Lebanese muslims. They are just one squirmish in the war of radical islam against the gentle, tolerant, democratic, law-based West that has given us such a high standard of living (and to which they immigrated to, out of shitty war-torn Lebanon…)

Noosa - Paradise in Australia

photos:

1: Alexandrina bay seen from Noosa Nat. Park

2: Pandana trees, rocks, sand and surf - typical of the sunshine coast.

3: myself on top of Mt Cooroororah

(click on a photo to get a large version)

Theres only so much you can learn in one place -
The more that I wait, The more time that I waste

I haven’t got much time to waste, its time to make my way
I’m not afraid of what I’ll face , but Im afraid to stay
(…)
Are you ready to Jump ?
Get ready to Jump,
Don’t ever look back, Oh Baby

…From Jump by Madonna.
Used In “The Devil Wears Prada” movie – one of my cult films. Shows the energy of New York and the business world in general.


“It may be the Devil, or it may be the Lord, but
You gonna have to ssserve somebody”

(Female singer I forget her name)


Yep, 6 months in the tropics in Malaysia, fourteen 5-day courses with kids, and now Noosa and new types of work in more temperate climes.

Been discovering Noosa and environs – which I had only seen briefly before. Also catching up with my mother, and helping her with some technical computer stuff. She has a dial-up connection to internet, which I may upgrade to broadband in the near future.

Went to Mt Timbeewah, good views and some 1 pitch bolted climbs. You need a National Park permit to climb there… probably to sign a waiver absolving them of responsibility. When I think that France has thousands of bolted climbs, mostly put up by volunteers, and you never need a permit… Australia is over-regulated in some aspects – regulatory creep is something to watch out for, because it Kills life and initiative and employement. We were there on a Saturday – and I was surprised to see no climbers. (update - Nat. Parks apparently gave up trying to enforce permits for climbers. Also I met some climbers there recently).

Also went, or scrambled up the very steep path on Mt Cooroororah – a volcanic stump that dominates everything around it.

I run uphill in the Noosa National Park trails 5 minutes from The main Noosa drag –Hastings street. Have been a bit random lately – a tendency of mine when not fully taken up by a task or work. But I’m pulled forward by my inner drives: I’m here to serve and inspire kids and adults in the outdoors – that I confirmed in Malaysia. And I’m an athlete… I never really thought of myself as one until recently, but it’s true – I have an inner drive to run cross country, to climb rocks, to work out … A French backpacker I met on Perentian Kecil island (Malaysia) said to me after seeing me run on the beach: “you’re an athlete”.
Indeed I looked at myself in a full length mirror after taking a hot shower here (the first in 6 months…) and saw that the job has really flattened my belly and toned my shoulders. Gotta be careful not to overeat now…

It’s good to be back in Aus. And the milder climate in this part of Aus. The country is truly blessed with natural beauty and vastness. Politicians and world conflicts will come and go, but this land will stay as a Great Southern Land of red earth and dry eucalypts, of mountain jungles and limitless clean beaches.

A tour of Kuala Lumpur

1: Chinatown by night

2: the Petronas Towers. a dashing landmark of modernity
3: The monorail - fast and with good views.
(click on a photo for a large version)

Been off the net for a week or more – unusual for me. Well, time to update my blog with photos on amazing KL – which I visited for 2.5 days , flying to Aus on the 9th and meeting the chill and dryness and sun of Noosa… first time I haven’t felt humidity in ages. A good feeling! I’m really not a tropics person, though I can take it for a while, I like to feel invigorating cold once and a while. 6 degrees in the morning here sometimes… cold for me. But quite sunny most days

KL…. A mix of Malay, Indian and Chinese quarters, great hi-tech transportation, old buildings right next to supermodern hi-rised ones. I walked around, sampled the night life t the beach club, bought and MP4 (small video) player at Imbi plaza, the electronics shopping center. I stayed in Chinatown, with food stalls on the street, steam rising from them, chinese signing and so on.

I feel a certain affinity or admiration with the hardworking, thrifty, sharp-minded, business-savvy, slightly hard-edged chinese - In another life, I was born in Hong Kong, my father a white Jardine executive (Jardine Matheson corporation – see James Clavell’s Taipan), my mother a beautiful Chinese escort lady. I grew up in Chinatown, practised martial arts at a rusty old gym with local Chinese and a wizened old master who always seemed to beat me, spoke Cantonese and navigated fluently from white culture to Chinese culture, though never fully Chinese. As I grew older, I went into business and went beyond my modest origins as an international businessman, with my base in Hong Kong, and an edge over the over-pampered Harvard graduates who I did business with, who were not always very street-savvy. Once in a whil, I would return to the quarter where I was born and sip green tea with old friends.
Mmmm gotta visit Hong Kong sooner or later – the land of laissez-faire capitalism, with a flat tax for everyone of 15%. One that even Kerry Packer couldn’t slip out of.

Thailand - Magical scenery and Heavenly Women

(click on a photo to enlarge)

1: Ton Sai bay, near Railay East where I was staying. Note the overhanging climbs.

2: View of Railay east from my multi-pitch climb

3: A stalactite on the climb.

4: An 11 yr old girl from Chile, climbing. Yes - you can climb early.

5: Goy (right), the heavenly bar manageress and Bung, a waitress. Isn't that the sweetest smile ?

Great Holiday in Thailand. Rather entranced by the place.

was there a week, mainly in Railay peninsula, near Krabi town. It's only accessible by boat, has no power (generators), but has mobile coverage, and internet - by satellite dish of all things. (expensive). Did 2 half days with a climb guide, a multi-pitch climb, lead climbed 5c and 6a grades. 800 baht for 4 hours with guide = 26 dollars australian....
it was low season, too. which means no crazy crowds and very cheap accomodation. I had a great bungalow with en-suite bathroom for 250 baht = 8 dollars aus. and you can get as lot cheaper if you want.

The place is world-renowned as a climbers haunt. Live very cheaply in entrancing surroundings, hire climbing guides cheaply, meet people from around the world climbing on wondrous limestone walls with stalactites and caves. Oh, and there's nice beaches too.

mmm... and Thai girls have "drawing power" as a bar manageress from the UK put it. It's easy to get under their spell. I rather fell in love with Goy, the bar Manageress at the "Last Bar" in Railay Beach - pictured above. She fed me reduced priced cocktails and we talked a lot. Very sweet lady. it is said that when we are entranced by a woman. we are seeing her channel the "divine feminine" - an archetype if you like, that exists out there as an entity, and radiates down into women to different degrees. All women are "only human" but it's no illusion that they radiate the devine from time to time.

Rock Climbing and more

(click on a photo to get a large version)

1: Me and kids in the jungle

2-4: Climbing at Gua Kalam, Near Thai border.

3: Our Hammocks at climb site

4: Evening meal

Editing the blog after 1 month's absence. tried last week, but had problems with the computer.

I'm now on holidays - yay !! after 14 MOE (ministry of education courses). of 5 days each. it's a record, apparently for an expat. Most other expats went on the Puteri Matsuri tall ship for 2 months during their contract. I did not volunteer, cause I heard you get a bit isolated as a Matsaleh (white guy), as they all speak Malay at the dinner table, and even during briefings (which are officially in English). It was total immersion for Gil, my flatmate. He did learn a lot of Malay, but it was rather lonely at the start.

Of the Thailand tommorow, then KL briefly, then Brisbane. I've never been to Thailand, so I'm quite excited.

a few weekends ago, went rock climbing with 2 quebecois flatmates and the 2 new aussie girls Tammy and Selena. was a lot of fun and energising, first time I've lead climbed seriously in over 2 years. But it came back quickly. Took a ferry for an hour to Kuala Perlis, then 2 taxis for 45 minutes to Gua kalam - where there is a picknic area, a large cave and rows of bolted , short climbs.
Also thursday 19 July, had a party at my place, celebrating the end of my contract and also my birthday. I get older every day ! but also fitter, it seems. As I said eralier, my stomach has lost a lot of fat, and I have quite a bit more muscle in the biceps and shoulders.

at the party, we had the matsaleh crew (white guys), but also a reasonable number of Malay trainers, which was nice.

it's been character building, bodybuilding, confidence building and interesting being here. I am looking forwards to working in less hot climates, and with kids who you can really converse with.

Also to doing less repetitive work, as there isn't all that much difference week to week with the courses here, which can lead to boredom, or lassitude in the trainer. In Oz, schools sometimes do 5 days in a row of trekking, (we do one here), which is quite pleasurable for the trainer, as the landscape changes every day, he does a "real" outdoor activity, and he has a chance to see the group's navigation skills really progress with his guidance.