Aussie slang. It's practically another language. Watch this video and see how much you can understand:
Four years ago, when I first came to Australia, I wouldn't have understood a word of this. Now I find myself saying all sorts of Aussie words! Here are a few you might find useful:
Budgie Smuggler - A speedo swimsuit (this is a visual term as budgies are small birds)
Fair Enough - What you say to someone when you don't want to argue anymore (but don't necessarily agree)
Arvo - Afternoon. As in, "My parents are coming over this arvo for an early dinner."
Chuck a Sickie - Call in sick to work.
Smash a Pav - Eat a pavlova (an Aussie traditional dessert, very tasty!)
Pash - To kiss passionately.
Ratbag - An untrustworthy person.
Panel Beater - A person who does body work on cars.
Knackered - Tired. "I was knackered after that run this morning."
Kanga Banga - A kangaroo sausage. (I really just like saying this one.)
And if you don't have a nicname, just add an -azza on the end:
My previous co-worker broke the mold with me though; she called me "Corka". Basically, the key to understanding Aussie slang is to pretend you are drunk and learning English for the first time. And shorten every word. Even "thanks" -- they say, "Ta."
So, you want to do the Overland Track? Here's what you need to know:
The Overland Track is a beautiful piece of Tasmanian wilderness, commonly ranked as one of the world's top 10 walks. It take 6-7 days to cover the 85kms of track (or less depending on side trips and whether you start at Ronny Creek or at the entry to Cradle Mountain National Park). Here is a video from the Tasmanian parks department with footage and information about what it takes to walk the track:
What do I need to take? Don't go without:
A first aid kit. You will be very far from help and there is no cell phone reception. If/when you make it to a hut, there will be a radio in the ranger's quarters although you must keep in mind that the parks department does not facilitate evacuations--you will have to wait for the ambulance and fire department. Each summer season the park has about 12 evacuations due to heart failure, knee injuries, and ankle injuries. Take care that you aren't one of them.
Trekking poles. This is an addendum to the above as trekking poles will greatly aid you in maintaining stability while walking over rocks and roots, not to mention help you in mud, climbing over fallen trees, and stepping up or down over large gaps in uneven ground. One is useful, two is best. But none will certainly put you at more risk of injuring yourself and will slow you down.
Gaitors. Many people on the trek wore them for snake protection as the extra layer of gortex is a good barrier between you and snake fangs. However, they serve another purpose too: mud protection. Imagine wet feet and socks full of little pieces of muddy grit and rocks--a perfect scenario for blisters. They will help keep mud out of your boots, off your pants, and will help you stay clean. We saw one girl hiking without them and she got mud in her boots. Before the end of the day, she had massive blisters all around her ankles where her boots rubbed. Don't skimp on this.
A good backpack. Get a second opinion. Don't go with the first thing you see and make sure the staff really know what they are talking about. One woman on the track ended up with a bad too big for her and she had a very painful walk the first few days with a bag that didn't fit. Many outdoor shops employ young and inexperienced travelers so don't believe everything they say--they just want to make a sale. Most of them have zero knowledge of the outdoors. I found this to be a decent first test of my sales staff here in Sydney: if they hadn't heard of the Overland Track before, then they shouldn't be selling me gear. The Overland Track is Australia's most famous hike. If you haven't even heard of it and you're selling gear here, then you probably aren't going to be much help.
Good boots. I tried on at least 20 pairs. I went to every shop in down town Sydney and really looked around. Don't go with the cheapest or what's on sale; choose the ones that fit best. As evidenced by my last post and the shoes that fell apart. This will be your life blood. You don't want blisters or numb toes with 60kms left to hike. And make sure you break them in. I walked to work in my boots for a few weeks (6kms a day) which helped me get them ready for the big hike.
A good rain coat. It will rain at some point. That is life. Buy something with some serious gortex behind it so you don't end up wet and cold. Lots of rain coats leak and will still leave you sopping wet with sweat so make sure it ventilates well while still providing protection. Jeremy and I both have Arc'Teryx coats which run around $500 USD. They are pricey but arguably the best coat out there. Keep in mind that you will be climbing over rocks and through bushes at points so make sure it's a strong material that won't rip. It's better to invest in something good now than buy crap and regret it later.
A tent. True, there are huts every night and you will likely get a bed in each one. However, they do pack out and you might have to sleep outside. Not to mention, if a crazy storm moves in and you are in the middle of the track, you might have to camp for protection from the elements. Buy something with a waterproof bottom, a rain fly and good ventilation. Make sure it's big enough for you and your hiking pals and that there is enough room for your bags too (if you leave them outside, critters will break into them looking for food). We had a two person tent that just barely fit us both in with our bags. It wasn't comfortable but it was doable. And make sure you buy something lightweight. Tents can weigh a surprising amount of kilos so research your options and keep that in mind. You will be carrying it for 85kms--don't carry anything heavier than is necessary.
A water purification system. Tasmania has really clean water and the rain water tanks each night are also pretty clean. Some people would stock up at the huts from the rain water tank without treating their water at all and none of them got sick (on our trip) but that won't always be the case. Rain water tanks are dependent on the rain (duh!) and might be low when you arrive. You must be prepared to get water from lakes and streams, and if you do, you must be prepared to sterilize it. There's nothing like giardia in the woods, 40kms each way from modern medicine, and on short supply of toilet paper! Be smart. Purify your water. We used the SteriPen which uses UV lights to kill bacteria. Sounds crazy? I've been using it on travels for 5 years and haven't been sick yet.
What am I going to eat?
The down side of walking the track is that you have to plan and pack your own food for the entire time you are out (and pack our your garbage too). Most people aim to pack about 5-6kg per person in food but you should consider packing a little bit more as animals may get into your pack, you might have under prepared for the trek, or you might need to bail out someone else on the track who under prepared/lost food. In researching the trek, I read one story about a guy who assumed that he could fish every day and eat his catch that night. BAD PLAN. You will not a) have time to fish, or b) be able to find so many streams with fish each day. The other hikers ended up feeding him for the rest of the trek. So be prepared.
Also, consider that your food will weigh a ton, so pack instant or dehydrated food wherever you can. Thankfully, as you eat your food, your pack will get lighter and more compact. That is unless you pack canned food (not a good idea). Canned food might be tasty but you still have to pack out the cans which don't compress well and still add on weight. Try to limit canned food.
In planning our meals, I really took into account the distance and difficult of each day's track. If it was a very long flat day, I counted on high fiber meals with some protein for endurance and longer energy burns. If it was a big elevation day, I planned on lots of protein for strength work and endurance longevity. For short easy days, we had carbs and veggies to replenish our nutrition and energy stores. Here is what I planned for us on the track:
Day 1: Ronny Creek to Waterfall, 10.7km mostly uphill
B: Eggs, capsicum, potatoes x2, onion
S: Trail mix and carrots
L: Mussels, crackers, cheese, avocado
S: Trail mix
D: Couscous, zucchini, asparagus w/garlic butter
Day 2: Waterfall to Windemere, 7.8km mostly flat
B: Oatmeal
S: Muesli bar
L: Instant potatoes, garlic butter (we ended up eating the rest of our eggs as well because they cracked)
S: Jerky
D: Butter chicken (from a dehydrated meal pack)
Day 3: Windemere to New Pelion, 16.8km mostly downhill
B: Break, banana protein shake, oatmeal
S: Muesli bar, carrots
L: Mussels, crackers, cheese, avocado
S: Trail mix
D: Spaghetti, zucchini
Day 4: New Pelion to Kia Ora, 8.6km mostly uphill
B: Oatmeal, canned baked beans, chorizo **best breakfast on the track**
S: Muesli bar
L: Instant potatoes, garlic butter
S: Jerky
D: Instant potatoes, carrots, dehydrated peas
Day 5: Kia Ora to Bert Nichols, 9.6km mostly uphill
B: Oatmeal
S: Museli Bar
L: Instant noodles (4 packs for two people)
S: Trail Mix
D: Carrot, zucchini, couscous
*Dessert: Astronaut ice cream and apple pie (both from a dehydrated meal pack)
Day 6: Bert Nichols to Echo Point, 15.5km mostly flat
D: Chicken Tikka (from a dehydrated meal pack), stuffing mix
Day 7: Echo Point to Lake St Clair
B: Cheese and salami
S: Trail Mix
Extra food we packed: chai tea to be made in a thermos (very good idea), instant soups (only ate 2/8 but at least we had them), a thai curry packet, long-life rye bread (disgusting) with a small jar of peanut butter.
We truthfully ate almost all of our food. The good thing was that most items came in plastic flat packs or were veggies which we ate entirely (or put down the compost toilet), we found smoked salami and sausages which made a very nice addition along the way (can last up to 7 days or longer), and only had to pack out four small cans. The dehydrated food packs are varyingly good (go with the Gourmet Chef brand) but cost a fortune at nearly $20 per meal for two! We chose to buy them for special occasions (Christmas and our last night) which was a good idea. I think all up our food cost about $200 for the trip but we ate well, enjoyed our delicious food, and felt satisfied and healthy with what we ate.
Don't bother packing---
A compass. The trail is well marked and unless you plan on off-roading, you won't lose your way.
Binoculars. Too heavy. You won't need them to see wildlife which will just walk up to you.
A day pack. Unless you plan on taking rest days and exploring side trails, you won't need it. It's just extra weight and extra bulk.
Pack extra--
Socks. Two sets for hiking, two sets for at night.
Toilet paper. Several people ran out of toilet paper and had to "bum" off other people, so bring extra (not just for you but for others). Wiping your butt with leaves is annoying.
Gummy bears. You might need a little sugar pick-me up at some point. Not to mention it's a moral booster on hard days.
What about the snakes????!
I only mention this because I've been asked it so many times and because I worried about snakes a lot before we headed out on the track. Tasmania has three snakes--all three venomous, all three using the same anti-venom. Two of them can be found on the track: the tiger snake and the white-lipped snake. If you come across one, it will likely be on the trail trying to catch some sun. However, if you make lots of noise, they will likely move. Just stomp your feet and beat your trekking poles.
But truthfully, you probably won't see one because there are so many people on the track, making noise and scaring them off with vibrations in the ground. I didn't see one and I was looking everywhere. One person we hiked with saw a tiger snake and another saw the white-lipped snake but both times they scurried off. It's natural to worry but don't get too excited. You will be watching the track closely while you hike because you will be walking over lots of rocks and root and will need to watch your footing, so it's unlikely you'll step on one. That plus with the noise you'll make, it's highly unlikely you'll even see one at all. But be prepared. Research how to treat snake bites and make sure you pack your first aid kit accordingly.
Being ready physically
I don't think you have to be an experienced walker to do this trek. It's not that hard. However, you should have some level of fitness. Your pack will be really heavy, sometimes you will be crawling up rocks on your hands and knees, and you will be walking for hours and hours on end (we had two 10 hour days). Make sure you've prepared your body by weekly working out with running, stair climbing, pushups and core work. You will use your entire body to carry your pack and your legs will need to be strong for the endless steps you will go up and down. It's easy enough that people aged 5-87 can do it (and have), but hard enough that a real couch potato will suffer.
Any other questions? Let me know! Drop them in the comments. :)
Worried it would take us ages to cover the last 11kms to Cynthia Bay (the day before took 3hrs to cover 5kms), we set out early. To our surprise, the track was largely flat and void of rocks and roots with a few exceptions). I had a scare and rolled my ankle but was thankfully able to continue.
Time flew by as most "last days" do and before we knew it, we were passing day walkers on our way to the visitor's center They would pass us with big eyes and smiles in amazement, asking, "Did you just finish the Overland Track? How was it?" and with encouraging shouts of "You're almost there!".
We arrived as a muddy reflection of our old selves, greeted with hugs by our friends who took the ferry the day before. We signed out of the track log book, a little sad, and joined our crew for lunch and drinks in the lodge pub. For 5 hours we sat around the table telling stories and laughing about our adventures (and misadventures), grateful for an experience that now seemed years ago. Time moves in strange ways.
My first meal outside of the woods: fish and chips with a side salad.
Jeremy's first meal: a trout burger with fries.
One of the stories we heard around the table was of this woman and her friend who started with our group but disappeared after the first day. Turns out her shoes came completely apart on her way up Cradle Mountain so they ended up sleeping at Kitchen Hut (the emergency shelter). Determined to keep going, they bandaged up her shoes with a first aid kit and she kept going, finishing the whole track. These shoes should be dipped in bronze and displayed on a mantle--what a "feat"!
Boarding our bus we said goodbye to Lake St Clair, Cradle Mountain and the Overland Track, but I'm already thinking about how and when I'll come back.
For most, this was the last day. For one, it was the harddest. Brent had forgotten to book a bus and the ferry at Narcissus Hut so he left at 5 am to walk 21kms to Cynthia Bay. I've been told he made it--amazingly--by 3pm.
*note: my camera was all out of batteries at this point and I was left to take photos with my phone, a slightly less stunning device.
One of the pademelons we saw on the track! They look just like wallabies but are fatter and grey.
Murkwood?
At the turn off to Pine Valley we stopped for a break with Auke and Eline.
We left around 8am to walk 15kms to Echo Point Hut, past Narchissus Hut where most would end their journey with a ferry ride back to civilization, and about 1/3 of the way along Lake St Claire. Along the way we found a family of pademelons (pronounced "paddy-melons") and found a goodbye message written in the dirt with stones for Adele. We crossed a suspension bridge (fun!) and took our last look at button grass moorlands.
Beautiful rainforest!
Some of the last moorland...
Randoms. Vagabonds.
It was a sad goodbye. When we reached Narcissus, we hobled inside for lunch with those caching the ferry and the radio crackled to life, waking us from our dream world. On the otherside of that radio was warm showers, hamburgers, cell phone reception, beds, and beer, but to reach it we would have to give up so much. Some were very excited to head back (missing family, injured, or eager to return to their studies) but I just felt sad. We said our goodbyes not knowing if this was the last time we would be together as friends, and after a lunch of cheese and crackers, Jeremy and I pushed on.
The very last grassland on the track. We were hoping the whole walk along Lake St Claire would be flat like this but it wasn't. It was an agonizing 16kms of up and down climbs, over trees, through mud pits, and across streams. It was lovely, don't get me wrong, but it was really hard after 6 days straight of walking.
See what I mean? Tons of fallen trees. This one was at least thoughtfully "modified" for backpackers--most of them require some amount of acrobatic skills or a bit of bush walking around them..
The last 5 kms to Echo Point was brutal, covered in slippery tree roots and guided by an indistinct trail. But the rainforest was beautiful and the trees amazingly big.
We gave out a big "Yay!" when we finally arrived at the hut, about 8 hours after we left earlier that morning. Being close to civilization brought with it other unappreciated "gifts": big black rats. The hut journal was full of stories about the rats eating through backpacks and scurrying across the floor at night. One guy went so far as to lock his bag inside the toilet (which was actually incredibly nice and secure and didn't smell at all--we mused at length about how much nicer the toilet was than the hut). Worried about the rats and weary of the stories we read, we locked our food up in a metal cupboard on the wall and put our garbage in the toilet.
Our rustic little home for the night...
Coal heater complete with melted sock stain (that black mark on the top).
Erin, pictured, called it "quaint". This is pretty much all of it. We were on that bottom bunk and black dust and mold kept falling on us every time the bunk bed moved. Gross.
That night we slept with two other couples whom we had come to know quite well on the trip, and enjoyed a meal by the lake and a warm coal stove that night. Not without one last mishap though--one of my sock liners melted on the stove and made the whole hut smell like burnt plastic! Sleep came easily that night but the morning and our last day came too fast.
It wasn't the nicest hut but we sure did enjoy the view. It was a good way to end the trip.
The walk to Bert Nichols Hut was shortish and fairly uneventful. We steadily climbed up hill through forests, and took a couple of side trips down gully's to view waterfalls. The first, D'Alton Falls was huge and magnificent. I wanted to climb down to the bottom but I heard it was very steep (nearly vertical) so I passed. (On the last day I learned that one woman tumbled at the top, losing her grip, and nearly fell off the cliff at this waterfall.) Considering how off my balance was without my pack on and how little I could feel with my feet under my stiff boots, the risk wasn't worth it.
We continued on though and visited the second falls turn off on the track for Hartnett Falls. It wasn't as big but just as beautiful and this time I could climb down to the bottom.
The lovely little gully beneath Hartnett Falls. I wish I had had enough camera battery to stay here and take photos all day. It was like walking through an enchanted forest.
I had to hug a rock wall to get this close to the waterfall. I was so worried I would fall in and be walking home in wet boots!
Climbing back up the gully, we stopped and ate ramen noodles for lunch before pushing on to Windy Ridge and the Du Cane Gap. Along the way we stopped for a snack and rest at Du Cane Hut (a historic hut only for use in emergencies). It wasn't really much of a hut. More like the Shrieking Shack from Harry Potter! The log book was full of humorous open stories continued by months and months of travelers. Something about a hot tub and a love affair gone awry...
Approaching Du Cane Hut! A welcome sight and relief from the rain.
Not my first choice of beds.
We crossed the Du Cane Gap early in the afternoon with little fanfare. The clouds had moved in a bit and there wasn't as much to see. Descending the other side, we quickly arrived at Bert Nichols hut. That night we cooked dinner with Auke and Eline (our new Dutch friends!) and shared some tasty desserts: apple pie and astronaut ice cream! We talked for hours and it was really refreshing to just enjoy someone's company.
What is it? Astronaut ice cream has had all the water vaporized out of it so it's basically like a condensed block of cotton candy. The moment you put it on your tongue though, it melts into perfect ice cream. Pretty strange but absolutely amazing. I will be taking one for every night next time I go hiking!
Bert Nichols is by far the nicest hut with a very recent renovation. They even had artwork! Though the toilets smelled worst at this hut. This was a separate room just for cooking with LOTS of tables! So different from Kia Ora Hut the night before!
There wasn't much of a view that night with rain falling from the early evening through the morning, but we were warm, cozy and happy. The trip was almost over and this night was the last time I would really feel like I was in the wild.
And on our way up the mountain! Lots of big steps ahead of us!
Largely uneventful, we left Adele early on to speed up the track. Once at Pelion Gap, we sat and ate lunch--instant mashed potatoes with garlic butter! Most other hikers climbed a mountain, either Pelion East or Mt Ossa (Tassie's highest). We passed and continued on though I later regretted that decision after seeing someone's pictures. There was snow and the view was just amazing. (I can be persuaded into most things with the promise of good photos).
Happy campers. No, really.
We were so lucky to be there when we were! All of the alpine mountain flowers were in bloom and everything was covered in color! Coming down from Pelion Gap was was a real treat!
The best views in the whole world. This was my second favorite part of the track and not just because it was downhill! Just look at those fields and that sky! Breath taking beauty, that's what that is.
That night was cozy in a small hut but we all chatted and enjoyed each other's company. The ranger came and gave a big talk about wildlife, his job, and park maintenance. It was very infomative and everyone really enjoyed it. I asked him for a good story, prompting him with "What's the strangest thing you've seen on the track?" He told us the other day he had seen someone with painted leather chaps on to help protect himself from bushes. Weird. Later the ranger came back to play cards with people and socialize in a non-official capacity.
Unfortunately no Tasmanian Devils were seen on the track... One person thought he saw one but the ranger said it was probably a possum. Way to ruin a good story, eh?!
All of us eating dinner together that night! There were about 15 of us, rotating in and out of the two tables, squished in and content to be together! It felt like a family dinner. (Photo courtesy of Adele.)
It was a good day and I slept best that night. On second thought, it's probably because I didn't climb those mountains.
The guide said the walk would take 6-7 hours. We took 10.
We looked so happy back then...
Walking with a new friend, Adele from Perth, we were lulled into a false sense of security early on in the day with beautiful, flat grasslands and views far off into the distance.
Amazing, right?
Cute guy I met on the trail.
We covered about 4 out of 16.75kms in 2 hours and though this would be cake. Stopping to feast on lunch (salami, cheese, avocado and crackers) we stopped for far too long, resting on our laurels, enjoying the spectacular view. It was a great break and a very memorable lunch but we would soon be wishing we had skipped it and just got the hike over.
Back on the track! My favorite part of the whole hike.
We walked and walked and walked. It seemed like forever. Eventually we came upon a little creek with a big platform (looked like a tent platform) next to it and we thought it must be the halfway point (Frog Flats) because it looked like a place to tent. Wrong. It wasn't. We didn't know that though. We stopped, filled our water bottles, chatted, enjoyed ourselves. And continued on. and on. and on.
Refuelling with the help of our handy Steri Pen!
The track was muddy, there were tons of roots and rocks to navigate through, and we had no idea where we were. The track took such a gradual descent that we really didn't know if we were on the flat near the end of still looking for the halfway mark.
Many obstacles were greater than this. I don't recommend doing the trek without poles, though some people did and made it in one piece.
Elation or sarcasm? I'll let you be the judge.
Even in our despair about the distance, there were still things to appreciate about the journey. You just can't get these views without a bit of effort (I'm not sure I'd have it any other way either).
Eventually we figured it out when we arrived at Frog Flats (a sign told us where we were -- about 4km from the hut) and we were all a bit exhausted from the walk. In a not-so-cheery mood, we trudged on but stumbled onto a large and disgusting mud bog where the slimy stuff sunk us up to our knees. It was really disheartening. There was no way around it, we just had to go through. I broke my trekking pole right in the middle of the bog and Adele fell in. We used up the remainder of our water trying to clean out her cuts and wash her hands, which was a little sad. There were still 3kms left to go, and uphill too.
Not even the worst of it...
This ain't even the worst of it...
We walked into the hut at 5:00 all muddy, dizzy from dehydration, but relieved, greeted with cheers and smiles from our friends. The day was more of a mental challenge than anything but we overcame that obstacle too.
Beautiful setting, right?
A view like that can make you forget a lot of things, like your name, credit card pin, 16.75km of mud...
The evening was a real delight, watching the sun cast burnt umber colours across the grassy planes and up the Walls of Jerusalem. It was such a beautiful view that I nearly forgot all the trouble I had put myself through that day. For dinner we ate spaghetti with zucchini and carrots, and afterwards settled in for a solid night of sleep.
