Dehydration and the Jenolan Caves

There is nothing I love more after hiking than alcohol, beer whiskey whatever give me a god damn celebration drink. Unfortunately I have a terrible habit of not drinking enough water especially when hiking. Therefore my post walk drinks generally leave me with a hangover from the depths of hell themselves. An Appalachian trail 20 mile hike was the catalyst for this discovery. Worst 10+ mile day of my life, my dog will agree, I got us lost somehow in my haze of giving approx. 0 fucks. These are headaches that feel as if in my brain the fabric of the universe is separating, dimensions of reality and imagination curb stomping each others skulls; the ultimate battle for control. I exist half awake wishing I could be in a coma. After the Blue Mountains wander I expected to feel meh in the am after 3 beers but alas meh was the best of it.

The night of the hike I woke up various times with the development of a headache. Armed with one bottle of water I was poorly prepared but did my best to keep the beast at bay. I woke up for the caves in the morning knowing it would be tough. As I opened my eyes slowly waiting for sensation of pain to register, I to my surprise found it was minimal, a bit of grogginess and a twinge of needle-like pokes to the head but otherwise tolerable. Breakfast made me feel all the better delicious hotel food and coffee. Food of champions as far as I was concerned, I lived off almonds the previous day. After the meal I packed my bag, mainly camera gear and filled my modest water bottle. I was excited. Oldest known caves in the world this was history, its mind blowing stuff if you really think about it, 340 Million years old....

The bus journey took a quick hour and 15 mins the guide was full of cool and interesting information. I stared at the landscape happy to see it pass as we grew closer and closer to these Jenolan Caves. I had two tours that day the Lucas Cave and the Orient. Both were extremely close to one another with only about a 30min break to eat lunch and refresh. As I waited to get into the first cave I looked at all the rocks in awe staring wide eyed at the outdoor formations and felt ever so slightly in the middle of my mind squish a poking pain emerging. Shit.

I could use a bit of a snuggle right about now

As the tour commenced I was told that this journey contained quite a few stairs, stairs to me at this point were not a friend but if its between stairs and experiencing the caves its no contest at all. I hobbled my way up, each step increasing a pain in my head until after no time at all it was a raging beast ripping apart all the sweet pink mush it could lay its claws into. That was towards the beginning of the tour mind you about 20 mins. The pain was not fun but the caves were. I tried my best to enjoy them and enjoy I did. However looking at the unbelievable rock formations becomes disorienting when the constant flashes around you make the stones themselves appear to move. I was in bad shape. I cursed myself over the beers and suffered through the pain enjoying every second I could. I really did enjoy it as well, to hear the stories of the discovery of these caves was truly remarkable. You haven't seen darkness until you stand in one of the Jenolan caves and have the lights turned out. There is nothing but blackness; if there was complete silence you would surely go mad. To have been one of the first people in these caves must have been a thrilling and terrifying adventure.To climb into the unknown armed with a candle stick for light takes some serious guts. Its a shame the early explores took so many pieces from the cave, they however still retain many quite beautiful formations. An unbelievable amount of time went into the development of these caves and it is a sight that is awe striking. For a mere inch of length in a stalactite to develop takes longer than the human lifespan, these are not by any means small formations.

The Lucas cave ended and I was hurting but insanely happy. I figured it was alcohol and strange lighting that was causing the pain and retreated to the bus to eat some almonds and banana. Being the derp at heart that I am I forgot to drink my water. The time for the Orient came in a flash, before I knew it I was walking up to the entrance wishing I had my bottle on me because my head was pounding more than just a hangover possibly could. Creatures were beating the crevices of my skull to escape.

The Orient cave is worth the extra ticket, the Lucas cave is nice but the Orient is spectacular. It is a marvel of the ancient world and like nothing I have ever seen before. I stood dumbfounded in the Persian room admiring the walls like they were crafted by god itself. It seems a smaller cave tour than the Lucas but there is infinitely more to see, in fact despite there feeling like there was a brick planted firmly in the center of my brain, time in that cave flew and for the shape I was in thats incredible.

The tours at the caves were worth it for sure, but if your as appreciative of history and geology as I can be when properly intrigued one day is not enough. I found myself wishing, not only because of the sickness, to stay at the cave house and continue exploring tomorrow as well. I will be back for adventure caving and possibly a tour of the Ribbon Room, an extension of the Orient tour.

The bus ride back was hell. I was now convinced this was no hangover, this was dehydration. I had not drank any water that day and a pathetic amount the day before. I felt nauseous literally holding back throwing up for a majority of the ride. When the bus came to town I was disoriented and horribly aware of my condition. Of all times I ran into a friend from Hawaii living in Sydney, he had been up the weekend as well. I tried to act normal, I think i did alright for the most part then ran off to buy water and waited longingly for the train hoping I wouldn't vomit on the way home or worse right on the platform.

In and out, I wished I could switch of my brain. I sipped water slowly knowing if I took it in too fast I wouldn't be able to hold it and all would be in vain. Little by little, and seriously little by little it took for fucking ever, the headache got better. I fell asleep for a bit and woke up to a nicer world each time. I felt the eyes of an Asian gentleman watching my bizarre behavior of holding my head in my hands and nodding off in increments trying to relieve the pain as if a I could massage the pressure away.

5 hours it took to get home, all 5 were painful the first 3 especially.

The Jenolan Caves were worth all that and more. Never have I been somewhere where I felt as insignificant. These caves are older than anything else I'm likely to knowingly encounter on this planet.

Beginning at Journeys End

Blue Mountains Day 1

About 50 miles West of Sydney lies the Blue Mountains National Park. A glorious stretch of land containing the oldest known caves on Earth and some of the most beautiful geographic features I've ever seen.  I was lucky enough to have this past weekend to roam free, and roam I did. 

I have a knack of making things much harder for myself than they need to be. I don't do it purposely I just cant be bothered with conveniences if I can just get it done myself faster or more interestingly. That mentality got me all of the photos you'll see today.

I had heard about the Blue Mountains about 2 weeks ago while looking up interesting places around Sydney to take some photos. I at the time had no idea how close it really was and settled for writing it on my list of places to go without too much investigation, it was meant to be. That very same night my host mom came home from work and asked if i'd be interested in staying a night at the Fairmont Resort in the Blue Mountains, she had gotten a voucher at work and needed to use it. I of course said yes and set about planning my weekend. Knowing nothing of the area I booked a pass on a tour bus that made drop offs at the most touristy spots. Since I was traveling solo, the kids are a bit more interested in the hotel video games, I also booked a two cave tour of the Jenolan Caves for Sunday. Time passed quickly as usual and before I knew it I was packing up my camera and some clothes ready to head out.

We arrived at the resort around 1230 just in time to notice that my bus although claiming 30 min stop intervals only came to my hotel twice in the morning, both piror to 12, next pick up was 3:20. Luckally we couldnt check in until 2 anyways so I settled for the much nicer option of being dropped off at echo point, aka The 3 Sisters.

Australia's Kardashians, these however are far more beautiful and classy

 I snapped some photos with the hordes of tourists dressed in full hiking gear, the journey to and from the bus is truly arduous you see; and chatted with a very nice man who waited till the very end of the conversation to hand me a book about Jesus. Wandering and pondering my next move I noticed colorful shapes in the distance, what was it I saw? A bridge?! Going onto the first rock of the three sisters? Well sign me up,  I could have ran. I had 30 mins before I intended on grabbing the bus to the cascades. The walk was short about 10 minutes to a very steep staircase that after much careful maneuvering around other people I got down. Across the bridge was a small section of rock to stand on, I stood, I looked and pictures I took. Then I went off ready to return to echo point and catch the bus. Before I made it to the stairwell I noticed a whole nother set of ominous steep steps, I wondered what I could see down so far into the jungle below. I could always catch the bus later no big deal. I descended the 900 step staircase hoping whatever was down there would be worth the trip back up.

Rail slide of death

 At the bottom a bit to my dismay was what should have been expected, a bench and jungle. I looked back up the stairs, no way, not yet. There was a trail leading off to the right and anything was better than climbing up those stairs right now. I walked a relatively short distance before hitting a marker. Options: either I could hike 2 hours to the skyway lift back to the top of the cliffs or go 45 mins into the Leura Forest and see what happens. I chose the forest and made the left back in the same direction I came from just a trail lower.

Jurassic Park was filmed in Hawaii but you could fool me and say it was filmed right here in the mountains of Australia. The trees and plants looked prehistoric, everything about it made me imagine dinosaurs were lucking in the distance, velociraptors stalking me ready to strike. The illusion was intensified as the sky darkened about 30 mins in and ominous clouds started taking over the blue sky. I picked up the pace ready to get the fuck out of there. I walked and walked, nothing, no signs and few people. Just when I was getting frustrated I found one, two options lay before me again. A path up the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, the path I was sure I had been on already and a path to Leura Cascade.... 

Leura Cascade was where I had wanted go anyway, was I really gonna go back the way I came just to catch a bus to what was right a head of me? No way Jose.

Thank god I did. Despite the frustration of having no idea how far I had to go, the impending weather and the start of a whole nother series of of steps ascending the cliff, I stumbled upon this my spirits were raised.

A man seeing my perhaps overly enthusiastic photo taking pointed towards a path off the trail and said i'd love the small falls down there because of the rock formations, off I went followed by two Indian tourists looking for some photo ops as well.

It was beautiful, until it started raining. Luckily I had figured out 2 days prior my camera bag had a waterproof cover. I took as many photos as I could until my camera started getting more than drizzled on. My company had long since vanished so I cut my photos short and ran back up to the path. Stairs, stairs and more stairs. Rain was heavy now, I passed so many photo ops and decided that it could rain but it wasn't gonna rain on my parade so set up my tripod took off my sweater and held it over the camera. Put away walk 100ft repeat. Up stairs and down stairs. It went on endlessly but the scenery became more and more beautiful, waterfalls becoming more amazing every time I saw them and rain steadily decreasing.

Fear of heights you say? Might wanna skip this one

Unbelievable things started to happen the sky became slightly lighter little by little and the difficulty of the hike no longer mattered because when sights like this are so close together, that trail was a cake walk.

 Almost to my sadness the path ended, falls exhausted. I ended up in a boring little park beyond the lazies reach of the waterfalls. I looked at my iPod to find it was 5:45, I had been walking since before 2. Sunset would be coming soon and I had a plan that I must be at the 3 Sisters for sunset. No more buses and no idea where exactly I was I started to walk towards the general direction I knew it had to be. 

It took about 45 minutes walking along the cliff roads but I made it back in time. Back to where I had started the beginning and the end of the journey.

In a former post I had said that I felt through photography I have become so much more appreciative and observant, I realized how true this was on Saturday night. I heard no less than 3 groups of kids my age look over the spectacular landscape and in a matter of 3-5 minutes tops say, "Okay been there, done that, lets go". I spent an hour there and saw beauty flourish with the decent of the sun, this was not an experience you could truly appreciate with such a brief visit. If it wasn't so cold I would have probably stayed longer for my star photos however I had been rained on all day.

The best plans aren't made they're discovered. I wouldn't have had this day if I had followed my plan, I would've been packed into a tourist bus missing out on everything worth seeing. I don't know how far I walked that day but I was aching a joyful and accomplished pain. I will be back on a moonless night for my star photos and a hike in the opposite direction.

Part 2 Jenolan caves will be up tomorrow most likley

For more photos of the Mountains, Caves and Waterfalls check out Victoriafennell.com
thats where all my most loved photos go

Blahhhh

No cool photos to post as of yet, been working on some portrait work. I hate portrait work personally, I'm not one to pose its uncomfortable for me so asking the same of others seems wrong. I usually have a the same smile for every photo I'm forced into and its not a convincing look either, unless I'm happy to be part of it of course. I like to take photos of general life action, for example my portraits were of the kids eating grapes. Through the grapes and funny stories I told with camera in hand, I got some beautiful shots for their mom, I hope she likes them.

Tomorrow I'm off to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves for 2 days. Fabulous pics to come I hope, the polarizing filter I bought has led to some interesting experimentation, just wish the neutral density ones came in the mail faster. I'm gonna be hardcore getting my tourist on - Dslr and backpack ready to rock! I'm gonna play professional photographer and I'm so excited.

Posts to come next week, been too tired and lazy to write up anything besides this lately. I've had a few good post ideas just need to take the time to write them down. I'll be more productive next week, this week has been a bit of a blerch.

If you dont know of the blerch, your welcome,
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/running

Photos around the world?

So I think im gonna change up the blog a bit. Instead of pure ramblings, which it'll still have of course, I'm going to put more of a focus on photography. My dad gave me an idea and you know what, every photo has a story some of them great. I'm going to incorporate more of my photography into the site and try once a week to get an awesome photo up with an equally awesome story. Think the lizard one from a few days ago, awesomeness 1-10 about 6 maybe? Here is my first entry...

 

Im pretty addicted to photography always loved it; in fact I never got the chance to take the class in high school but spent many study halls working along side the students, often right into biology class. Since getting the Nikon I pretty much carry it around like a purse. I put my money and cards in the pockets and have it on hand for any opportunity. My every expense and every effort seems to be geared in this direction. Its damn expensive but its worth every penny.

This past weekend the family I Au-pair for in Australia were taking a trip down to their farm somewhere in I cant remember NSW. It was beautiful, miles of expansive views an insanely bright sky and sheep wandering around in little groups roaming from tree shade to tree shade. The weekends are usually my free time where I can pretty much do as I please but generally it works out ill chill with the kids quite a bit especially if we all go somewhere together. Im always up for seeing a new part of the country so any trip is well appreciated. We walked the fields taking photos and exploring, finding skulls and various other farm fare. Dramatic sunset that I could not properly and to my satisfaction capture and a sky full of stars. 

It was spectacular

Saturday rolled around, it was much of the same as the day before, exploring and a bit of ninjaing through the trees trying to get close ups of sheep, didn't work they're crafty little idiots. Night came, I was babysitting. The kids had gone to bed to watch Epic and I went out on the deck to be assaulted by mosquitoes trying to capture a bolt of lightning off in the distance. That night we were surrounded on all sides by lightning miles away it was amazing and I had always wanted a shot of a bolt, time to experiment. I put on the exposure as long as I knew how and took endless pictures. Its here that ill mention the farm works off a generator, and when the generator is off it runs off a solar battery. I heard yelling from inside. It seemed darker, the houses battery power had died and the youngest was absolutely flipping multiple shits. They maneuvered their way onto the deck and the 2 year old had successfully worked herself into a frenzy. Between the lightning and the moonlight it wasn't too dark outside so I picked up the smallest child and took pictures with her in my arms. The lightning didn't frighten her only the tv going off does apparently. I don't know at what stage I caught the bolt I remember the frustrating misses but somewhere in the panic of the black out I caught one. I took as many snaps as I could before they complained of the cold and forced me inside. More panic ensued indoors and frustration on my part was mounting, impossible to give hugs and carry her around the dark house looking for flashlights and candles. It got ridiculous to the point of me going outside and collecting sticks to build a fire while her brother sat with her working his calming magic. Flashlights were located after the fire was built and candles, the next day. What an incredible idea that fire was. Miles from anything we sat in front of the warm glow a 23 year old, a 6 year old and a 2 year old. Talking about staying calm in tense situations, fun facts and looking through photos. I caught my bolt and I had a roller coaster of a night but it was all worth it because in the end its a great memory.

Who do you think can fart bigger a sumo wrestler or a yoga teacher?

The introvert

Fuck your birthday, I got season 4 of Breaking Bad to finish

The introvert at the bar

The introvert sits at the bar alone, watching the patrons from reflections of mirrors and windows. Looking cut off from the swirl of life around them balancing on the edge of unapproachable and friendly. What are they thinking these solitary creatures, as they swirl their glasses and tap their fingers. If you look closely enough without inducing their gaze you can almost see a mind removed from its present place. A loud noise or a stranger too close brings them back to the earthly stool but for a brief moment; mind interrupted and thought abandoned, need to regather their conscience. Glancing in the mirror scanning for noticeable change, but quickly losing interest for a more favorable blank gaze. Emotional reactions written on the face if I could only read minds, what i’d see in that place. In a room full of people to find your own space is a quality only held by a mind in race. I wonder my introverted friend if I tried to ask you a question would you be happy someone wanted to engage you in honest conversation. For you see my friend I believe I feel the same way in a room full of fools I'd prefer be far away. There's an infinite range of thoughts to be pondered and only 100 songs on this top hits list, lets not even bother.

Ahh the introvert. I took a quiz recently that classified me as one with the most general and meaningless questions ever. Its Saturday night, where are you? My Sat nights usually involve netflix and alcohol, but not always. Truthfully my location on a Staurday night depends on my level of poorness; generally high might I add (or low rather?), you gonna hold that against me? Not sure where the introvert vs. extrovert popularity came from, it kind of appeared like the boost nerdism got from the big bang theory. But let’s face it although fun to point out how quiet and anti-social you are introverts and extroverts aren’t really much different. People quite amazingly prefer different social situations and can both be equally introverted in situations they feel uncomfortable, bored or sad as they can feel extroverted in situations in which they are joyful, elated and in their element. I know you may think the bar is stupid me too, but drink a bit more of that whiskey with your best buddies and you’ll be out there getting real dumb with all the boozing family. I’m not talking social disorders or cases of extreme shyness by the way an introvert isn’t a sociopath; a sociopath is a sociopath they even have their own word for that reason. An introvert is only an more inward thinking questioning type of person, a philosopher of sorts. An let me tell you something about philosophers, they still love their crazy parties, they have so much thinking time to plan after all. So introverts of the world stop being so boring pick the thing you love most and go be extroverted in your own way! After all aren't we supposed to be the more passionate ones?

Off to a farm for the weekend, hopfully I wont have any snake or motorbike accidents to blog about next week. Look for my picture updates on http://victoriafennell.smugmug.com/ Happy Weekend you crazy kids!

Photos and thinkings

 I stare out the windows into reflections of other windows. My soul say, whhhaaat?.

Writing is so fucking hard sometimes.
Just finding a topic can be brain bashingly frustrating. I think maybe this famous gif can show you how ive been feeling the last two days creative writing wise.

Yeah. Thats about right. Sometimes its painless and sometimes its well, to the left to the left....



  

Anyways its not the easiest thing in the world to keep up on a blog its a bit like a diary just you know, public. How many of us have actually managed to keep a long term diary as well? I started one right before I left New York and have gotten good use out of it but I find at the end of the day laziness always wins compared to writing in it. Hence my last entry being on... oh I left the date blank, well the one before that was the 17th of Feb. It wasn't with in the last week and a half thats about all I know.

Im now forcing myself to write and its turning out just great so far isn't it? Are you enjoying my words? I hope so because im enjoying watching that gif above and putting my face in its place. 

I've got something to say! 

I am now the proud owner of a stunning Nikon D5100 camera, something I've wanted for years and years. You know what? It was worth the wait. The past few moths I have been an avid instagrammer and iPod touch photographer but have been getting progressively more pissed off at the quality as our honeymoon phase comes to a long drawn out ending. Yes it takes good pictures and yes I have very much higher standards. Its easy and entertaining to snap a quick pic with the apple devices but its just downright fun to use a real camera and forgo filters for a more massive amount of settings. 

Since getting it about two days ago I've taken a multitude of pictures mainly cats and spiders, until today. Today I climbed up a treacherous hill and walked a mere 2km to Brooklyn Dam. Its a beautiful walk high up in the rocky hills overlooking the rivers and towns of Hornsby Shire. I had a quick swim break in the lake and took photos pretty much everywhere, re-taking the iPod pictures really had to be done. 

Great things happen when you start taking pictures, you slow down and you look so much more closely at everything. Some people may argue you don't look but through the eye of your lens, you don't have the chance to enjoy the scene too busy snapping photos. I disagree. You look more closely at your surroundings and look not only for something pleasing to the eye but for an emotional reaction in the scene that makes you want to preserve the moment. That is how I feel and take my photos at least. 

When testing out selective color on a gorgeous river scene this afternoon I saw the first wild iguana (?) I've ever seen. I was told they existed in the hills but never expected to see one myself. I had finished my last shot of that spot and was maneuvering my way through the brush, I'm still nervous about spiders particularly hiding funnel webs. I heard scurrying to the right of me. This reptilian fellow was walking through the bushes and struck me quite dumb, it was a lot bigger than lizards I'm used to seeing. I tried slowly moving closer for a photo but it wanted none of me and was surprisingly quick when it wanted to "run" which was not often. I didn't realize they just crawled around on the ground, I figured it'd be in a tree or something and I wasn't ready to give it any opportunity to escape my lens while I was so prepared. It led me through a spider web, over a few piles of rocks, through some prickly bush grass type plants and around couple of trees but I was diligent and got a respectable photo out of my efforts.

 Damn Americans and their cameras gonna make this a difficult one, hope you like tree branches to the eyes.

I remember when I was younger at some point wanting to work for National Geographic as a photographic Journalist. Nat Geo is pretty much the elite of photography and I got ways to go but little by little I can start inching closer to getting published because now I've got a camera and I certainly have a lot more beautiful and amazing places to go....

ps. made a smugmug check it out for more photos:  http://victoriafennell.smugmug.com

Lets all be gay together

 

Lets all be gay together

Ahhh Mardi Gras, it was everything you’d expect, a flamboyant parade, flamboyant people and a fun loving accepting wholesome party atmosphere. Best part was unlike the New Orleans gay parade there were no crazed protesting bible fanatics in the middle of the street, at least that I saw… Maybe they had to be in bed early for mass in the morning, can't be spreading the hate all night long like those heathens out there dancing in the streets. It was a great event and exactly what Australians needed after their disappointing change in law regarding gay marriage back in late 2013.

As far as im personally concerned there is no proper justification for being against gay marriage. There is not one argument I can take seriously saying why its bad for the world and not one person I can respect that opposes it. Our society is changing and the laws of our nations need to keep up. This is 2014 discrimination should be phasing out and acceptance becoming more widespread, didn't we learn anything from past intolerances? It seems like some people are just too adamant about holding onto the outdated mentalities and imposing their religious virtues.

So why don't we all just take a break from the debates drink an ice cold margarita or hot toddy if your freezing your ass off somewhere. Stop focusing on things that have no impact on your life, its stupid and unnecessary. Accepting people for who they are is a so much nicer way to live, why care about the personal lives of millions of people you’ve never even met? Who they love is beautiful whether it's man and man or woman and woman man and woman people are people just like you. So keep on loving and fighting my gay and lesbian homies you guys forever have my support.

Im not a fan of politics and less a fan of stupidity although they too often walk hand in hand.