Travelling Australia

Luckily for me, I don't need to go anywhere near a plane to travel in the best country in the world. Of all the places i've been, there is still nothing better then going camping with mates somewhere on the Australian coast. The photos in the slide show are of a few trips up the Aussie east coast to Seal Rocks, Byron Bay, and as far north as Cape tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest. These trips were a mix of BBQ's, beer, surfing, trekking, and sitting around the campfire.
Aussie Summers. Unbeatable.

Kathmandu and Everest Base Camp

Not exactly new news, but still worth posting I think. I went to Nepal in January 2006, and it is a truly amazing place. Flying into Kathmandu is in itself an experience, especially if you're on the way to Everest base camp, and if you keep your eye on the planes flight details you can get an idea of just how high the summit is by looking out your window when the plane is at 8, 848m. Trekking the Base Camp region in the middle of winter did mean -20 degrees temperatures, but it also meant seeing the mountains at their quietest, and with excellent visibility. To stand and look at the highest point on the planet is an experience that could only be outdone by those who who have actually stood on top of this awe-inspiring giant. After 12 days of trekking in this literally breath-taking terrain, it was back to all the energy of Kathmandu...

In Kathmandu I visited the amazing Boudhanath and Swayambunath Stupa's which are home to Tibetan exiles, had a car crash in which neither driver even bothered stopping, visited a school for the children of prisoners (Nepal has one of the highest unexplained imprisonment rates in the world), and was trapped in my hotel on 22 hour curfew because Maoist rebels blew up Kathmandu police station. Unfortunately, time and the dangerous political situation meant I had to leave Nepal before I got to explore the rest of this amazing country, but I shall return!

Fighting for Tibet

The Tibetan plateau lies in the south-western corner of China, bordering India, Nepal and Bhutan. For centuries an autonomous region, Tibet was invaded by China shortly after World War 2. Since this invasion China has continued to occupy Tibet and has committed huge human rights abuses against the Tibetan people such as murdering monks and nuns, and destroying Tibetan cultural sites.

Led by the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans response to this human and cultural genocide has been of non-violent attempts at diplomacy with the Chinese, and an appeal to the International Community for support. While the International response has been far from adequate, and while human, cultural, and environmental degradation continue to occur in Tibet on a large scale, there are many groups around the world attempting to seek justice for Tibetans.

These groups range from international organisations to small scale grass root operations that exist all around the globe, and becoming involved in helping Tibet is something all of us should do. For anyone who believes in justice, in human rights, in environmental conservation, and in peace, Tibet should be of interest.

Taking action can be something as simple as showing your support for an existing organisation, or even taking your own measures to promote awareness in your local area. Below is a link to a 'myspace' web page that a friend and I created which has more information on Tibet and a list of existing organisations in support of Tibet.

Tibet is one of the most unique places on this earth, and the loss of its people and their culture would be a loss to all humankind.

Myspace page: www.myspace.com/fightingfortibet.