Like most I am in a survival mode holding pattern at the moment but still fortunately have the opportunity to get out occasionally and getting out is now an escape from the daily grind as much as anything else. It was good to meet up with the Hoetjes brothers -Jos and Ben , old compatriot’s from the Tibetan plateau expedition but this time separately on two mountain trips - with Ben to Mt Burn’s and Jos to Mount Arrowsmith. The winter and spring have been been a roller coaster in the mountains locally of alternating warm rain or cold snow - either way its been wet. This fortunately meant that there was plenty of chances for day trips locally on Mount Arthur for snow fun and a bit further afield in the Kahurangi national park on Iron Hill as well. The trip to Iron hill was done with some local young fellas and was a real blast to film them snowboarding - and yes I even managed to get out on skies myself a few times this season. Filming wise I also started on a project that I wanted to do for sometime and that is interview and film some of the older generation that have lived their lives to the full. Tony Charlton, alpinist, cosmopolitan teacher, multisport man and scrabble guru (he’s always picking up on my spelling errors!) and inventor John Winkie, who raced bike’s both with and without motors in between managing container shipping in different countries were my first two attempts at this. Although I could only capture and process into a short U tube video a small portion of these two’s amazing lives I hope it gives an inkling into “lives well lived.”

above - Jos and right myself on Arrowsmith.

below with Ben on Burn’s.

Below - A Couple of inspirational guys - both English immigrants , John and Tony !

Above, with the young guys on Iron hill.

Below - Mt Arthur provided several days good trips this season and I took the chance to get out when I could , often with friends such as Thomas and Anthony here in these 4 pictures.

Below , camping and mountain biking in the school holidays with Carl, Regan and Leo.