I've just finished packing my rucksack and am now procrastinating on my computer until I'm tired enough to go to bed. I'm off to Melbourne to watch the Tennis Tournament and then I'm hiking the Great Ocean Road. It should take about six days and will therefore be the longest hike I'll have ever done. After that there is a week in Sydney followed by another week hiking in the Blue Mountains.
  Here is a list of what I'm taking with me. I'm posting it simple because I remember searching every where for one when I first started. It's pretty much a list of things I've read that other people take and thing are important. My pack will way, with food and water, about 17 kilograms (over 35 pounds or roughly 2 and a half stone) and from what I can judge will probably break my back. I've decided to not take a jumper of the sleeping back liner so if I get cold there's online proof (unless I edit the post on my return) that it was a conscious act of stupidity. I just can't fit it in and its 40 decrees down there a the moment. Surely it wont be needed.

OBJECT	WEIGHT KG
Shelter
Tent	1.9
Rucksack	2
Sleeping Bag	1.5
Mattress	0.6
Sleeping Bag liner	0.05
General
Camping Stove	0.6
Utensils	0.02
Hiking Pole	0.5
Shovel	0.1
First Aid Kit	0.2
Soap
Toothbrush and Toothpaste	0.05
Compass	0.05
Map-
Great Ocean Walk	0.1
Blue Mountains	0.1
Knife	0.1
Sandals	0.6
Head light	0.05
Sun protection	0.1
Bug repellent	0.01
Notebook & Pen	0.05
Electronics
Ipod	0.2
MP3 player	0.03
E-book	0.3
Solar re-charger	0.15
mobile	0.5
Camera	1
Clothes
Trousers	0.4
Towel	0.5
Shorts	0.2
Underwear	0.15
Socks	0.1
Jumper	0.38
Shirt	0.15
T-shirt	0.15
Hat	0.1
Rain coat	0.25
Bandanna	0.05
Shoes	1
Camping Permit	0.02
Passport	0.05
Water	4
Food (0.5 x 6 days + emergency extra)	4

  I'll post in between the weeks of hiking, hopefully the hostels have computers that will allow me to do so. I can't wait to be under way. Its going to be a challenge but I've spent the last two months in the gym getting ready for it.

Flaxton Camp Ground

  I've been back three times to Mapleton for weekend hikes, and this time with a half decent camera. To prevent repetition I wont recount the hikes in detail but there are a few things which are worth recording.
  My first trip back there was after a week of gym and every muscle ached. I hoped the walking would loosen me up a little but it took three hours before I got any rhythm at all. I also took the wrong turn and made my quick 10km to camp into a fun 17km across hilly terrain. My plan was simple, I'd disembark at Mapleton and walk along Dalicia Road all the was to the camp ground. As I walked the last two kilometres to what I thought was my destination only to discover it was in fact Ubajee Walkers Camp and a full days hike from Thilba Thalba Camp Ground.

View from Gheerulla Valley viewpoint

  When I finally did get there I collapsed in my tent and fell asleep. I'd not managed to book the campsite (since the Queensland government website breaks down once in a while) and found myself having dreams about rangers carting me off and giving lectures on why I shouldn't be walking by myself. I spent six months volunteering in Israel before coming here, I worked with two year olds in a nursery. For the last few weeks I keep having dreams with them in it. On this particular night after the lectures from the rangers we boarded to train to go back home there was a tsunami wave heading towards us. It was when Israel and Gaza were at each others throats and I'd spent the last week checking the news every half an hour.

View walking through Obi Obi Road towards Baxter Creek Falls

  The next day I stuck to the original plan and remained on Delicia Road all the way back into town where I bought lunch in a cafe and met a couple of bikers. The husband was a massive chap, very tall as well as broad and had been in the army all his life. We talked of Israel and he told me all abut the different nationalities of the soldiers he'd fought with when serving in Rwanda. They game a lift back to the train station which I accepted, grinning while I imagined how my Grandma might react, and got home in time for supper.

  The third trip was much more successful, I walked from Mapleton through to Flaxton, and then next day through to Montville. Those who plan to do the Great Walk should know, that if you are planning to do it in reverse, the road up from Barron Pocket Dam is incredible steep with actual signs warning cars of the incline.  It took only forty minutes in the end, and the terrain was concrete and therefore easy but still not a climb you'll appreciate after the seventeen you've just walked from Flaxton.

  Wanting to challenge myself I decided to walk three days of the Sunshine Coast Great Walk in two, travelling from Mapleton the longer route to Thilba Thalba, and from there walking back along Dalancia road  until I reached Daymar Road heading south towards Mapleton Falls. I reached Flaxton well before dark and spent a lovely afternoon reading and listening to music lying on the picnic tables. The next morning I walked the last five kilometres to the bus stop in time to get back to Brisbane and work. Each day was roughly twenty kilometres. I stopped a lot the first day taking as many photos as I wished and found that through doing this I enjoyed myself a lot more since it allowed to pace myself and actually appreciate the landscape around me.

  It was just before camp on the first day that I was captured dusk looking over Coolabine, stitching the photos together to create this panoramic photo which I'm quite proud of. I also ended the hike by having a cooked breakfast at the cafe at the entrance to Kondalilla Falls, its a treasure of a place well worth the visit.  With another hour or so to spare I sat quite happily at the bus stop and read my book.