Western Affluence and Teens

Working with Students again. And thoughts on Western Affluence.

A few days ago, after several phone calls, I secured a week’s work with my old employer in Brisbane. At the end of March, doing a week with 15 yr olds in the Mt Barney area – which I know well (see previous posts on the area). Just on the Border of NSW/ QLD, on the scenic rim of mountains, it’s a great area for outdoor activities. With spectacular mt Barney rising up alone to 1300m above the plain. And several lakes and outdoor centres. This center is “mt barney lodge”, a very nice campground/ B&B combo, right next to Mt Barney.
I ring up the center and fall on Stafford, an English immigrant who’s been on several camps that I’ve worked on (with other kids). He’s an ex-fireman and quite experienced in the outdoors. Funny to be talking with him, now working at the Lodge. I’m looking forwards to our “Recce” day –Beer and BBQ nxt Sunday, then recce on Monday.

Now I’ve had a bit of a break from kids, I can work refreshed… they can be hard work between about 14 and 17 … you always get a minority who are lazy, surly and obnoxious, which can test my patience to it’s limit, especially on expeditions when they complain about being asked to do their turn doing the dishes.

You really need 3 weeks of expeditioning to work thru all the “attitude” of some teens, and get them spontaneously working for the common good and enjoying the expedition. I almost prefer kids from “working class” schools – it might take some work initially to reduce their swearing, but then they are more receptive to new ways of doing things, very interested in rock climbing which they have never done etc And they chip in and do the dishes and tell off those who are lazy… I know from having had such a group up in Nth Qld.

Many of the problems of today’s kids stem from an excess of ease – to many video games, too much food, too much given to them and not enough asked from them. They end up lazy, sometimes rude and with a vague sense of discontent (which stems from not having pushed themselves either mentally or physically, or taken responsibility for anything, I reckon) which they can try and fill with drugs, hooning etc.
Meantime, Kids in Kurdistan work to support the family, and brave minefields to smuggle textbooks over the border so they can write down stuff at school… Lots of western kids need a month in Kurdistan/ similar in my opinion. They’d never take anything for granted again.

Affluence is good – If you know how to appreciate it, don’t take it for granted. Also you need to know the difference between basic survival needs, useful things, and luxuries – particularly if living in a city – or you become a treadmill of working to buy luxuries you don’t need and which don’t satisfy deeply. I find I spend easily in cities – Melbourne was fun, but there’s nothing else to do but spend… on cafes, meals out, transportation, rent…
Whereas in the campsite at Arapiles I lived for 140$ + 10$ per week (my food bill + fuel bill to Horsham and back) . it was like being in a natural monastery – eat, sleep, do challenging climbs, read, watch sunsets, talk with fellow travellers… no temptations like cafes and such, unless you drive a bit.
The campsite is 2$ per day… when the ranger can be bothered collecting it.

The Kurds wish they could have the Aussie std of living – but you need to learn to appreciate it if you are born in it. Hence the immigrants from Italy etc who do well in Australia – they can see all the advantages and know that their hard work here can make them rich, as opposed to their home countries, where Corruption/Governement regulations and taxes/ mafias skimming profits/civil War, can make it very difficult to get ahead.

Pear-Picking at Shepparton, Vic

photos:

1: Yorkshire couple Tom and Louise

2: Echuca figurants

3: The campsite at the farm

4: The dining area

5: The brits

Turnbull orchards 22 Feb. 09 onwards

After 2.5 weeks picking pears, the pears ran out on that farm, and we were told (on the last day) that apples would start in about a week. Interesting experience picking fruit – I got pretty fast towards the end, picking 3 bins a day (a bin is approx 24 sixteen kg bagfuls). Ie 3 times 35$ per day – 90 dollars after the 13% tax. Not all that good for 7 or 8 hours of hard labour. Plus there were some days where we were basically used as cheap labour – clearing a sparse field of fruit – taking 8 hours to fill a bin … 35$.
A lot depends on the farm you work on, and the quality of their trees in producing dense fruit. Some other pickers I talked to in town were doing 6 bins per day… now that’s good money.
Anyway, I saved 200$ the second week, after food and other expenses. Not too hot – the same as what I make in a day of Outdoor Instructor work , though this is not regular work (and more than this on expeditions). Given a farm with better fruit, one can make reasonable money, but one needs to shop around and put up with some bad work.
It’s certainly a job you can just turn up and find work in a day, if they happen to be picking that week. Good to have as a fallback.

Felt good to be using my muscles – I enjoy such work in itself, quite apart from the money I make at it.

Earlier entry:

Loving the social life – Alex the older guy who worked for Optus. Lots of French bacpackers . Crazy parties on Fri nite.
The work is not too bad – have to watch lower back ache. I stretch using yoga child's pose several times in a day, and get rid of compression ache.

Getting faster. Nice to have a break from spoilt kids…

The main entertainment at Shepparton is going to the Mc Donald’s in Town (!), buying a coffee , apple pie, and surfing the net for free… not much else to do, except maybe fish in the river and canals, which is what the 4 brit backpackers do.

Pretty dull place. One Saturday, I drive to Echuca with a nice Yorkshire couple. Enjoy the sights, swim in the Murray.

4 brits together – all got a tattoo of Australia on their thighs…
They are from Sheffield and surrounds. 2 of them do Thai boxing, and will travel on to Thailand where they will do a month or more of training in a Thai boxing academy – they let you train at reduced costs if you compete in tournaments.

Monastic experience at Arapiles

Arapiles 16 feb

Sunset last night – a red ball of fire over plains and eucalypts. Flat golden fields just outside the national park boundary. The gnarly rock of Arapiles rises out of the plain like an apparition. Mitre rock, much smaller, stands nearby.
I run along track, into sunset, then walk. Feel peace, transcendence .
Feel very fortunate to be here. Just to feel the peace and quiet.

Every morning, I gaze out on the flutings on the rock – a mystical beauty which draws you to climb it.
My climbing has improved. Much less nervous than a month ago when I climbed with Luther. I lead second pitch of D major, with overhangs, quite easily.

Climb with local Guide “Mookie”, A Canadian fella working for OEG. And seattle guy.
Do 100m “arachne” route on watchtower. Get a bit nervous on last few pitches , seconding – due to exposure (when you have a lot of empty space under you) . Need to be exposed to more exposure. Also need more practice placing gear quickly.

More Climbing at Arapiles, Vic

Photos:
1. Alex and Max from queensland in their Van

2. The morning view from the campground

3. myself climbing one of the "organ pipes"

4. The rock of Arapiles rising from the plain

5. climbing

6. Roos at nearby Halls gap, Grampians.

(click on a photo for a large image)

After the horrible heatwave, and the terrible fires, I drove to Arapiles and climbed for about a week. the day after I arrived, Alex and his brother turned up in their Van ! these are the guys who got me climbing "trad" seriously in the glasshouse mnts in queensland. On their way to Tasmania. Climbed with them, and on other days with up to 3 different climbing partners... who were alone at the camp. Including a local guide called "Mookie", and a Canadian dude.

With an American from Seattle and the Canadian, did a 100m climb up a big pillar. Quite a bit of exposure to the emptiness up on the last pitches... still getting used to placing trad gear quickly.

,
Then drove to Shepparton and found picking work in a day, at Turnbull property. camping out with other backpacking fruit-pickers.

Halls gap, Grampians, Vic

1: View towards "The pinnacle"

2: Myself at pinnacle parking
3 onwards (not my photos). Viewpoints around Grampians, fun at Mc Kenzie Falls.

Quick roundup of last few weeks since Falls Creek 1700m:

Bright -> look for fruit pick around, half-heartedly, … realise Shepparton is better bet.
Go to Shepparton … bloody hot ! no shade in campsite, stinky marsh… aghhh
Drive around properties, ask if work. Meet other pickers – friendly.
They give me info … meet 2 quebecois pickers who were at Lennies’ last year.
Owner real nice guy, but says pears not quite ready yet. Best to come back Monday 3 feb. So I decide to shoof of, away from heat, 20$ campground.. to Arapiles. On the way, I decide to go to Halls gap instead. Wow – great slanting slabs of rock, wild-west style. Little ponds of water, wildflowers… quite alpine atmosphere. Peaks at 700m ,1000m .

I Go up “elephant’s hide” on foot – a slab of rock 400m or so at 20-30 degrees slope.
Also Run up to pinnacle from halls gap – uphill about 6km.

Then drive to Arapiles – there for 2 days … but heatwave !!! in vic ! 44 degrees !
So back to Halls gap, decide to check into a backpackers – for some coolth , free wireless internet and some company. Travelling in Van can get a lonely if one isn’t meeting people from time to time.

A group of Dutch backpackers comes in, and for a few days I am offered wine, play cards with them and have good fun. The Dutch are probably the most gregarious people I know. I cross country run mornings / evenings when it’s not too hot, and wait for the heatwave to go. Catch up on my emails etc.
Sleep in the van and get a 5$ reduction … to $20 . Also talk with a French couple from the same Paris suburb as myself, and Run with Arnie from Germany. The hostel has a big flat screen TV where one can watch videos. I watch the amazing Tennis final Federer versus Nadal.

Ring Shepparton and find out pear season hasn’t started yet. It’s either feast or famine regarding employement in this field, so best to wait a bit.
I talk with Arnie about Europe, it’s limitations re too many regulations, feudal minset etc. Also Irak – how it’s working now. His viewpoints are typically European – is terrorism really that much of a threat etc - , but he is intelligent and open to new ideas.
We do a bit of bouldering on rocks nearby.

Fri 6 feb
This morning I go off to climb with Alex from Canada. To a friction slab, 40m of climbing then an abseil. I do it gingerly the first time, few handholds – just small concave rests for the feet, and friction. Then Alex leads, then I repeat the route, going faster and more confidently.
Feels good, in beautiful creek setting. I wax eloquently about mountaineering and a few epics I had in Chamonix, the pleasures of mixed ice and rock climbing as we walk back to the hostel. Makes me realise I need to indulge my passion for mountaineering – by saving and then spending time in NZ.

Sat 7 feb

last few days, I've been cross-country running with Arnie and Alex, in the evening. My thighs are beggining to like a soccer player's thighs - big and round. Will help with the army.

Another scorcher today at 44 degrees... Great to have hostel for company, coolness, wirelless net...

More Falls Ck photos

1: Closeup of the Brumbies (wild horses) I saw.

2: Just back from my 2 day walk, all geared up

3. It's sunny but there is a cold wind...

(Click on a photo to get an larger shot).

Kayak Lake Buffalo

(This happened just after leaving st leonard’s – about 4 Jan)

Explore Lake Buffalo and go up tiny creek.

Felt great to be on the road again ! easy drive up Hume hway. Little traffic, car runs well. A bit vague today. Hot , Hot day ! Melts my brain. But do get maps at info center. Then off to Lake Buffalo (at foot of Mt Buffalo), near Bright. Read thriller, doze. Quite a few waterskiers. Afternoon, inflate Kayak and go out on lake. End up 2.5 hrs of paddling. I go up to mouth of lake and up creek – get smaller and smaller, and I end up walking and pushing the boat. VERY serene – birds flitting, water , rocks… therapy. Felt like a Kid – “exploring”, at one with magical nature.