Tommythetravellingturtle

26/04/2026

Meet Doug! (Felt like I was cheating on Eric) but it was a good day. Lunch stop at Abermain Hotel who even provided a tack hook for bridles 🐴 with Trisha Iselin

22/01/2026

When I was 15 years old, I wrote to Porsche in Germany and asked them for a job. It didn’t pan out, but I did end up doing my apprenticeship with rival German Motor Company BMW.
Today, 35 years later, I did the Porsche factory tour and said to Pauline “I would love to work here!” The synergy of automation and personalization was fascinating as we watched Technicians building the cars. Every 2 1/2 minutes a completed car rolls off the production line and yet the attention to detail was second to none.

https://tommythetravellingturtle.com/2021/03/17/jobs-for-the-boys/

19/01/2026

Random adventure for Tommy today = Wilhelma Zoologisch-Botanischer Garten Stuttgart with Pauline Doran
It was an educational experience too as we identified 3 new animals that we had never heard of before. A bush dog (weird creature that made honking noises), a Rhea (looks like a mini emu) and a Maned Wolf (looks like a giant fox with long legs - apparently their p*e smells like cannabis!).
They also had a popcorn machine that played popcorn music while it did its thing - fascinating!!! Al Grant

08/01/2026

Sun, surf, sand, sunset, repeat - what a way to spend a few glorious days. beach views from our campsite, cold beers for chilled arvos in the shade and good mates for company. I walked along the beach into town to get a vanilla slice at the bakery and submitted a new route to AllTrails. Does it get any better than this?

25/12/2025

Work on your balance my physio said so i figure paddle-boarding ticks the box!?!?!
It’s week 7 post op. Still not back in the pool swimming but I’ve been for a sneaky dip at the beach a few times and managed a short bike ride to the local cafe. I can do stairs slowly if I concentrate and walking around is starting to feel more normal.
My usual Christmas tradition is to take advantage of the quiet roads and head out for an early ride before undoing all the good work with Chrissy lunch. This year I had to modify my plans but Im still grateful to be moving forward.
Still loving my Red Paddle Co compact SUP - so easy just to grab and go.
Merry Christmas p*eps 🎄

Ultra-Trail Australia By UTMB

24/12/2025

How it started vs How its going!
I had grand plans for turning the big 5-0. I was going to run 50km on my birthday at Tarawera Ultra-Trail By UTMB. Then life happened. Surgery #2 for the year with a uni-compartmental knee replacement. I was devastated. Initially i convinced myself that Tarawera was still possible, but sensibility (and my dearly beloved) prevailed and I have withdrawn my entry. But as I’ve said previously “I can do hard things” so I am committed to the recovery process. Stay tuned for whats next….

Ultra-Trail Australia By UTMB

13/01/2025

Guess where? IYKYK

13/10/2024

65km (we got 75km?) from Angourie to Red Rock over 4 days. This was one of those ‘insta’ vs reality experiences. I imagined us strolling along the picturesque coastline, wearing my swimmers ready to take a dip at every rest-break and sipping hot chocolate in my sleeping bag while watching the sunrise. The 4 river crossings (3 requiring watercraft), beach campsites and café breakfasts prospects made it sound like the perfect spring-time hike....

65km (we got 75km?) from Angourie to Red Rock over 4 days. This was one of those ‘insta’ vs reality experiences. I imagined us strolling along the picturesque coastline, wearing my swimmers ready t…

05/10/2024

Yuraygir coastal walk - 65km (we got 75km?) from Angourie to Red Rock over 4 days.

This was one of those ‘insta’ vs reality experiences. I imagined us strolling along the picturesque coastline, wearing my swimmers ready to take a dip at every rest-break and sipping hot chocolate in my sleeping bag while watching the sunrise. The 4 river crossings (3 requiring watercraft), beach campsites and café breakfasts prospects made it sound like the perfect spring-time hike.

Don’t get me wrong – it was fun! I loved hiking in barefeet as we strolled along remote beaches (into a howling southerly). The trail was easy to follow, switching between sandy beaches, grassy paths and rocky headlands. However, the preceding east coast low caused some wild weather and rough seas that meant the ocean wasn’t coaxing me to swim and the cooler temps meant we snuggled into our tent a little earlier. Storms on day 2 dampened our spirits a little, but we were grateful that we had chosen the ‘back track’ option while at least provided some protection from the strong winds and torrential rain.
Adam’s parents met us at each of the river crossings with two kayaks, providing a fun way to get us and our packs across with a feeling of independence. Ma even brought us salad rolls for lunch (much better than my dry wraps).

After following the ‘coastal emu footprint’ markers from the signposted start at Angourie, it was almost an anti-climax to arrive in Red Rock after crossing the Corindi River and not find any markers or signs to say that we had completed our walk. It was a good adventure!

Day 1 – Angourie to Redcliff (Greycliff?) campground 15km
Day 2 – Redcliff to Illaroo campground 25km
Day 3 – Illaroo to Wooli 17km
Day 4 – Wooli to Red Rock 15km

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service AllTrails

P.S. the pies and smoothies at Minnie Water General Store & Cellars were so good we had to re-visit for breakfast on the way home.

09/07/2024

Kokoda Track - a 9-day rigorous thought-provoking adventure through the muddy jungle of Papua New Guinea.

The Track commands your attention as you navigate the slippery mud and tree roots. There is no such thing as flat on the map profile, only words such as ‘steep’ or ‘very steep’ written on both the inclines and declines. The scenery changes dramatically throughout and the dense jungle is interspersed with quaint little villages that seem to magically appear out of nowhere. Clear mountain creeks provide a way to cool down and revive your tired muscles.

The dramatic and sobering history of the track is important to acknowledge, and the stories and connections I had with this awesome group of people have inspired and energized me. Our PNG crew were by our side throughout the journey, sharing their culture, making sure we remained upright and teaching us valuable life-lessons. I tried to learn some ‘Pidgin’ and ‘Motu’ language but failed miserably, only managing one word – demdem (snail)!! 🐌

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the jungle of Papua New Guinea, the opportunity to disconnect from the outside world enabled me to be in the moment without distractions and just focus on putting one step in front of the other. The sense of achievement and memories of the sublime swimming locations will stay with me that’s for sure!!

Kokoda Spirit