constanttrek

Bruce Elder review

Add comment March 16th, 2010

Richard Fidler

Add comment March 16th, 2010

On the 20th October 2009, Paula appeared on Richard Fidler to talk about Sahara.  To listen, click here

COntinental Divide Trail versus Appalachian

3 comments March 15th, 2010

Ok – to all you trekkers out there.  I am trying to decide between these two trails, and I could do with a little help.

My major consideration is walking something that is good to write about.  From this perspective, it would seem to me that the Appalachian is a great one – offering lots of weird and wonderful characters along the way, and plenty of scope for writing.  But the Continental Divide Trail seems a truly beautiful walk, and challenging in other ways.

I guess I am more interested in encountering people than wildlife – I draw much of my fascination in travel from finding odd and intriguing characters, and although I love my time out walking in solitude, I love also the constant company of those I encounter.

Having never spent a long time in the States, I would love to hear from anyone who has walked either of these trails, and could give me a little insight into the relative merits.

Email me directly, paula@constanttrek.com, or just add a comment to this site.

Thanks…

Paula

TV and a festival

1 comment March 3rd, 2010

It has been a busy week – a great one, too.

ABC TV got in touch this week, and have invited me on to the Talking Heads program, which I am thoroughly over excited about.  I really do need to learn to be rather more cool about these things, but it’s not in my nature unfortunately; I just raced off last night to have a beer at the local pub and tell all the blokes about it.

You might get a laugh at the reaction, the discussion went something like this:

Paula: Guess what Dicko?  ABC want to interview me!

Dicko (local pub goer):  About what?

Paula (somewhat deflated):  You know, that walk I did.

Dicko:  What walk?

Paula: Um, the one I wrote the books about?

Dicko:  Did you write a book did you?  Huh.Yeah, well, that sounds good, doesn’t it.  Hey – by the way, I think your starter motor needs looking at, I could hear the vehicle labouring the other day….

Yep.

Let’s just say it is safe to assume that fame is not likely to bowl me over in my hometown any time soon.

Equally as exciting, the Melbourne Emerging Writers’ Festival also got in touch, and I am going to be a panelist for their Travel forum at the Festival later this year.  This is the first time I have been involved in a writers’ festival, and I am seriously looking forward to it.  I’m a little worried I will be thoroughly outclassed by a multitude of black clothes wearing, terribly serious intellectuals, who read Kant in the original whilst watching European arthouse films – this is Melbourne in winter, after all – but I shall endeavour to hold my own.

You can come and have a right good laugh at me if you want.

For something entirely different, this weekend there are two fabulous events on in my hometown.  On Saturday, the famous (infamous?) Merrijig Rodeo is set to have the district looking even more like an audition for Brokeback Mountain than it usually does; and on Sunday, everybody with a semblance of brain and tastebuds will head out to the base of Mt Buller for Picnic in the Park.  It is such a wonderful day – every food producer and winemaker in the district has a stall showcasing their wares, and one simply wanders through glorious surroundings eating beautiful things and tasting divine wine.

Tough call.

I guess I am shamelessly plugging Mansfield and Merrijig, but honestly, we are so lucky to live somewhere so magnificent.  Every day I look out the window at the mountains changing colour with the day, and listen to the river burbling at the bottom of the yard, and think that it is nigh on impossible to envisage a more stunning place to rest and relax.

Graeme comes up when he can, and I go to Melbourne often to see him and the kids – but even though the Dandenongs are beautiful in their own way, nothing is quite so peaceful and soothing than the place I grew up.  Not to mention all the wonderful people I love who live here.  No place like home, I guess.

For those who have ordered books from me this week – for some odd reason there has been a real rush on – there will be a slight delay whilst I wait for more books to be shipped from Melbourne.  I apologise for any inconvenience, and they will be delivered within the next ten days.

Have a great long weekend….