Same Old, Same Old

This is one of those rambling blog posts that is about either nothing much, or a lot of different things. It all depends on your perspective. When I got up at 5.30 am this morning, the sun was still an hour below the horizon but there was enough light for a morning walk so I sauntered off to the east along the road past the Natimuk Cemetery. Every day I take these walks I think that I really should have my camera along as I've been witness to an endless series of spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Today must have been one of the most impressive. Grey clouds loomed over Mount Arapiles to the west, strings of red virga streaked the sky overhead, flashes of lightening lit up the surrounding fields, and, in the east, the sun was tipping over the horizon in a searing ball of colour. 

It's hard to believe it is six weeks since we first arrived at Natimuk to climb at Mount Arapiles. We've done a lot of climbs in that time, but, not near as many as I might have thought. Of course, during that six weeks we've been away twice to do other trips, so have actually only been at Natimuk for half that time. Although it is November, the temperature (at least right now) is still okay for climbing, and I am looking forward to hanging out here, climbing regularly and resting regularly without any pressure to travel any place else. When you hate driving as much as we do, traveling becomes detestable.

 Sunset at Gippsland Lakes in lieu of sunrise at Natimuk

I've been fiddling around with my diet again trying to find something sustainable that doesn't leave me with carbohydrate cravings yet provides sufficient energy to fuel all my activities and facilitate recovery. To that end, I've been on an ultra low carbohydrate (below 30 grams/day) diet for the last month. I feel pretty good with sufficient energy for low level activities like walking and kayaking, but, my energy for more intense workouts has significantly flagged, and, judging by how I feel this morning, I'm not recovering all that well either. I'm not sure if it is the after effects of a fairly hectic two weeks, the battle with Ivan the terrible yesterday, or the cumulative effects of a low carbohydrate diet. Today is definitely one of those days when I don't really feel as if I am holding my own. 

Finally, having a visit from two good friends from Canada was fabulous, but, reinforced the idea that moving away from Nelson (which is an awesome little town you could easily grow old and die in) was the right option. While it was wonderful to hear all about what everyone back home was getting up to, I also found myself glad that I was living somewhere new and different, engaging in new and different activities. I've always been addicted to novelty, and, hearing about the 15th annual trip to the Kaslo Hilton last year from R, only pushed the insistent thought "same old, same old" into my mind.