The beginning.

Graeme - Way back in 2008 I was talking to one of my younger female co-workers when the conversation somehow got round to Tasmania and the overland walk between Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair. You do talk about some silly things when working night shift, silly at my age anyway. I told her that I had always wanted to do the walk and to my surprise she said she did also. After a general discussion we left it at that. A short time later I was talking to another female co-worker (you can see a pattern here) when she expressed an interest to go. Well I thought, if I'm going to walk halfway across Tasmania in the middle of nowhere at my age this is the way to go, surrounded by females. Next step, to casually bring it up in conversation with the wife. It went something like this. Me: "I was talking to a couple of people at work the other day and we were discussing doing the overland walk." She: "Oh, right, that's interesting. Who were they?" Me: "Well, actually Annie and Kahlene." She: "Like bloody hell you are, I'm going with you." To be fair I never thought I'd get away without her as we have both been interested in that sort of thing, we just never gave it enough time.

So off to do some planning and it ended up with just the two of us going. Gear was purchased and tested in our local Grampians with many days and a few over night hikes.

*View from Mt Thackeray ,Grampians. *View across Victoria Valley, Grampians.

Come March 2009 and we were off, ready or not to Tasmania. We spent 8 days walking in sometimes atrocious weather whilst back packing all of our supplies

*Ist day and lovely weather. *Lake Ayr. *Rear of Kate and what a view, had to look carefully to make sure it wasn't Kahlene.

We slept in our little tent all but one night (basic huts are situated a days walk apart). Bathed in the coldest water, saw some extraordinary scenery and I still got to walk with a young pretty blond, Kate, who caught up to us on the first day and stayed with us. She was walking it by herself, pretty amazing really. Anyway, we finished it with only one sore knee and we were pretty proud of ourselves. We didn't take the boat ride on the last day, we walked the whole way, stupid actually but we had the most amazing camp site ever on the last day on the shore of Lake St Clair, all by ourselves. We could have been anywhere in the world.

*Finished - Lake St Clair.

Home and what to do next. Other people we met on the walk, Nicky and Tony, had told us about their walks in New Zealand and boy did that wet the appetite somewhat. Trev, another work mate had recently been to New Zealand with his family and had lots of photographs as well. (I think Trev's idea of walking is how you get to your car and back and most likely thinks we are just a little bit demented.) Lots of planning to go in early summer and then Annette is told by her work, no holidays available for that time of year, bummer.

What to do now? Yeah, I know, let's walk around the UK and if all goes to plan and we don't nearly kill ourselves in the process we'll do France the following year. How long? I dunno, after paying for the airfares we may as well make it worthwhile. How about 3 months? We can go in the winter when everything can look after itself. Deal. (Now you are probably saying to yourself and anyone near you "what are these two idiots thinking" and you would be right.)

That said, more camping and walking with the packs.

Lake Elizabeth in the Otways.

Now, along comes my sister and brother-in-law who say that they are having a holiday in France and will still be in Paris for the first fourteen days of our holidays. Fly into Paris and come and stay with us and then go to the UK. Well gents, I don't know about your wife but an invitation to go to Paris doesn't come along every day. More walking with the packs, tickets are booked, all is well, off on the 11th of May 2010. That was until a volcano decided to do it's thing and my sister cannot fly out and has to cancel her holiday and there goes our 14 days of accommodation in Paris. Great! Me:"Not to worry, we were planning on doing France next year. We'll just catch the train to the UK." She: "Not bloody likely (where have I heard that before). I'm not flying into Paris just to catch a train out." Again she is right and all will be well I'm sure, even though neither of us speak a word of French, that was to happen before next year.

More planing, not near enough training with the packs. Accommodation booked in Paris for 8 days then a leisurely walk down the Seine to the coast to catch a ferry across to the UK. Train ride up to Glasgow and off exploring Scotland. The West Highland Way is looking good. Me, I'm looking forward to listening to the accent of the Scottish lasses and sampling some of the whisky. Annette, she will have to keep her ginger locks low, she's part Campbell!

Nothing booked, we'll be playing it by ear, be free as a bird, probably cold as brass and wet as a shag but it will be interesting that's for sure. If you have read this far I hope you'll tune in from time to time. I'll attempt to keep you all informed of what we are getting up to.