Alive and kicking and here’s a recent photo to prove it.

Climbing Mount Strzelecki on Flinders Island in October 2023.

And here’s Mount Strzelecki on a day of gales, mist and scudding showers.

So, what has happened in the last 5 years? Remember Covid? Well, that wiped out my booked hikes to Great Barrier Island in New Zealand, Lord Howe Island, the Yorke Peninsula and Sweden above the Arctic Circle. Then repeated lockdowns in Melbourne, including reputedly the longest in the world until we came changed and not changed out the other side. First world problems, I know.

September 2021 arrives, and I am diagnosed with cancer, no connection with my 2016 bout of cancer. Robotic surgery is successful and 2 years later all is perfect. Bad luck getting 2 unrelated forms of cancer? Sure. Good luck that both are cured by surgery alone? Absolutely. 2022 and I need 2 separate operations as a consequence of the earlier surgery but nothing to do with cancer and again amazingly I come out fine. Oh, apart from injuring my hip flexor/piriformis in 2021and spending 6 months recuperating and doing little more than walking the dog. The doctor and physio blame ‘overuse’, both are too polite to add ‘and old age’.

Overuse? That’s a fair call. It was painful before I did a 4-day hike in the high country, knowing I shouldn’t do it. Well, that finished off my hip well and truly, on crutches for 3 weeks and so it goes.

Six operations in 7 years? Enough, already! And enough going on about it! Very lucky and grateful to still be here.

What’s happened with my writing endeavours? I’ll save that for another post and yes, I promise it won’t be 5 years away.

Let’s look at some hiking in between lockdowns and various recuperations.

First, some photos from the magnificent Three Capes walk in Tasmania, done in November 2019. Easy walking at the southern tip of Australia and spectacular scenery.

Next, some hiking in the Victorian high country around Falls Creek and Mount Hotham.

And that’s more than enough for now.