Georges Island, Halifax Nova Scotia

#Georges_Island_Halifax_Canada

Finally now in 2024 you can visit this National Historic Site with a ferry ride from the Cable Wharf area on the Halifax Boardwalk and explore Fort Charlotte;
 from its tunnels, fortifications plus all the other history with guides (period correct in costume) or if you choose, self tours

Little know fact that Georges Island (named after King George11 of England) was earlier selected as the gravesite for the French Admiral Duc dAnvile who had tried earlier to reclaim the Fortress of Louisburg from the British. 
After Britain settled in Halifax (1749) a French warship was permitted to visit the harbor to reclaim dAnvilles body, then to be shipped back to France 

The first fortifications on Georges Island were constructed in 1750 to protect against the French ships from entering the harbor
But with the French Revolutionary Wars beginning in 1792, Halifax became the principal Naval Base in North America for the British so more upgrades were required
So then the son of King George (Prince Edward) was dispatched and put in charge for the construction of Fort Charlotte on the island 

 

 Then during the American Revolution the island defense systems were updated and renewed again

 But it did not see an attack like other points of my Province of  Nova Scotia as Georges Island was just one of five parts of the Halifax Defense Complex which included the Halifax Citadel, Fort McNab, Prince of Wales Tower and York Redoubt military structures

 

During the 1850s the fort was rebuilt to be mostly subterranean with a maze of tunnels, corridors, storage rooms plus sleeping quarters buried deep inside the island.

 Then in the late 1890s because of the rapid pace of weapon development it soon rendered the fortress guns obsolete, so then the British installed a new torpedo system plus established a manually operated submarine mine field across the harbor's channel, again by using Georges Island as its base.

 

Other history of Georges Island was the years of the French Acadian Deportation
So the island was used as an so called holding area for around 900 prisoners, which were then exiled to various parts of North America, Caribbean or some back to Europe
 But some also ending up in Louisiana because of language (still a French Territory at this time) thus brought with them the Cajun Culture which that area is famous for now, which all started here
 

Finally during World War 1 the island was used as an anchor to hold submarine nets to prevent those U-Boats from entering the inner bay, where all the ships would gather to form a convoy to cross the ocean with the Canadian Navy to provide protection

So with the over crowded harbor, that was what created The Halifax Explosion (December 6th 1917)
 as two ships collided by accident;
Belgian relief vessel Imo and the French munitions ship Mont Blanc
 This then created the biggest man made explosion up to the Atomic Age
with least 1782 people who lost their lives plus another 9,000 others injured from this tragedy 

Since 1971 we have given the City of Boston a Christmas Tree ( lit every season at the Boston Common) for their assistance during this horrific event as a way of saying Thank You

  

 To present times; Georges Island was deemed a National Historic Site in 1965 and finally after many years of closure (with the help of Federal Funding) the island has now opened up to the general public

Plus now with over the 200 Cruise Ship visits per season, direct flights from Europe / USA and the city being host to hundreds of Conventions plus International Events it has become one of the top tourist attractions here in Halifax

 In closing, it shows there is a great interest in our history here on the east coast of Canada.

Bushwalking Fraser Island (K Gari) Australia

#Bushwalking_Fraser_Island_Australia

Many ways to get onto Fraser Island (between $165 per vehicle, but only a 4WD which requires an access permit), Motorbikes $65 or Walk-On Adult $50..... all via the ferry
  
KeyTip: 
 I would opt for one day with a 4WD vehicle, as going solo you will see much more
 But again, make sure to check with the rental insurance agreement if it covers you for beach driving

 Your other option will cost you; as a two day, one night tour with resort accommodations will be around $600 - $1000  

 Some Rules to Follow;
 A) Once here no swimming because of the strong currents plus riptides
 B) Another reason to avoid the ocean, Great White and Tiger Sharks along the coast plus Irukandji Jellyfish 
C) Saltwater Crocodiles (Salties as the Aussies call them which can be up to 6 meters /20 feet long) also have been reported to be in the area
D) No running on the island as it will trigger the Wild Dingoes, which then will be activating their instincts

Here is part of the 120km (75 mile) beach which is officially a National Highway

 Like any road system it has rules which are enforced by police from speeding (80km/50mph the posted speed limit) plus of course NO drinking and driving.
 Also you cannot drive on the beach during high tide for obvious reasons plus keep alert as
   sometimes its doubles as an unique landing strip for small aircraft

As you can see its a tough go if your hiking the island, so most opt to rent a 4X4 which you can find at Hervey Bay, Eurong or Kingfisher Resorts plus of course if you already brought your own rental

Now some places to see that i would recommend;

A) Central Station; takes you through the rainforest along the Wanggoolba Creek boardwalk 
 B) Lake McKenzie; which is the most popular site to visit with its white sand and blue waters
 C) Kingfisher Bay; it has a sheltered coastline giving you great views from the Great Sandy Trail of historical sites
D) Waddy Point Headland; to see from the beach sea turtles, sharks plus stingrays
E) Ocean Lake; great spot to view a variety of water birds, cypress, banksia and melaleuca woodlands 

The SS Maheno is one of the most famous wrecks (23 in total) that Fraser Island has claimed.
 It was built in 1905 and it was one of the first turbine steamers that did a regular route from Sydney to Auckland.

Finally it was sold for scrap to Japan in 1935 and as it was being towed it was caught in a cyclone (called a hurricane in the North American waters) which snapped the chain, then it drifted onto Fraser Island beach which now has become a famous photo landmark

Personally i took on the challenge of the 2.5 hour hike to Lake McKenzie through the sand.

It is tough as your are pushing off from the bottom of your foot at the same time sinking
 So if any of you followers have calf, achilles tendinitis or other foot/low legs issues, tour the island by vehicle

 

 It is one of those miracles of nature how it became the worlds largest sand island (1840kms or 710 sq miles) with its ancient rainforests, large dunes, pristine freshwater lakes (over 100) endless white sands (including Seventy Mile Beach) also an abundance of birds, free roaming wildlife such as Wallabies, Possums, Flying Foxes and of course the last place on our planet with wild Dingoes. Finally an offshore that has Humpback Whales which are now in the protected waters of Hervey Bay

                                                        So how is this all possible; 

Well the sand was carried here by strong offshore current and because of the volcanic rock it got trapped, add in the naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi into the ground which then it provided the necessary nutrients for plants to start the cycle of life. 

 So what better way to see nature than going for a hike, (Bushwalking in Australia Mate) 

Now for the adventurous fit types there is a 90kms (56mi) Fraser Island Great Walk but because of time issues i have opted for the Kingsfisher Bay (ferry drop off point) to Lake McKenzie which a doable 23km (15mi) return trek

       

 Like any journey there are some planning and rules to follow specially because mobile phone coverage here is limited so help could be hours away, so lets be smart about it.

 A) Sturdy/Comfortable boots or shoes are a must as there are some sections that include soft sand which makes the walking slow plus tiring.

 B) The weather can change in a hurry so bring rain gear plus warm clothes.

 C) Carry your own drinking water plus First Aid Kit. 

 D)  Have a compass.....please know how to use it 😅  

 Now because Fraser Island is a Natural Treasure here are some additional guidelines to follow; 

 A) Its an offense to remove anything living or dead from the area. 

B) Stay on marked trails as shortcuts create erosion issues plus you might get lost.

 C) Do not use detergents, toothpaste or soaps in the waterways (creeks & lakes) plus also limit the amount of sunscreen on you before going in for a swim. 

D) Wash your dishes or yourself at least 50 meters away from the waterways.

 E) Use only a fuel stove.

 F) Use only toilets in camping areas.

 G) Hard to believe i would have to mention this one......bring all your rubbish out with you then dispose of it properly.

 H) Finally be Dingo safe, don't be stupid by trying to feed them as they are wild animals.

 I) Also don't leave anything around in your tents, store all food in storage lockers located in the campgrounds, walk in groups and again dispose of your food scraps/garbage properly.

 There it is folks, for all to enjoy a place that will leave you a mind full of amazing memories.

Rubber traction mats are everywhere for the those you dare 😃 to drive or hike on Fraser Island 

Fraser Island namesake has some history
Eliza Anne Fraser was an English woman that was a shipwrecked survivor in 1836.
 After she was rescued, wrote / talked about her experiences so then the island was given the designation after her husband Captain James Fraser
Finally it was renamed to its traditional name of Kgari in 2023

Happy Valley is basically the center of things on Fraser Island
You are close to the rainforest with a boardwalk around Wanggoolba, or check out the shipwreck of the SS Maheno among other things

On my way back to Northeast Australia (Hervey Bay/Rivers Head) which is a 50 minute ferry ride from one of the most unique places i have ever visited in all my travels 

Hot Air Ballooning over the Australian Outback

#HotAir_Balloon_Australia

The Chinese invented the first Hot Air Balloons (which was thought to be thousands of years ago) which was on a much smaller scale, and that use was to send messages to their troops if surrounded by the enemy

Then the first recorded pioneers of manned flights were actually a sheep, rooster and a duck who flew 3.2kms (2 miles) in an experimental tethered flight over Versailles France, with the test being conducted by the Montgolfier brothers 

 Their ultimate idea of balloon flights for humans happened later in 1783 and was in a untethered Montgolfier airship, as the two passengers flew over Paris for around 25 minutes

The tradition of the balloonists prayer before flight (which is a glass of champagne) comes from a not so exciting history.
When the Montgolfier brothers were performing test flights, the local farmers were very suspicious as they thought they were dragons descending from the skies and bringing a danger to them

So nothing like alcohol to ease the tensions 😅 as then they would then give champagne to the farmers and thus continue to land on the fields with their balloons

Watching some of my fellow adventure seekers take off

We arrive early in our buses and get ready to soar with the birds in one of mankind's first way to fly.

 At first you don't realize how huge these balloon airships are, but once the propane is fired up to fill the bag or envelope (made of nylon fabric with the material closest to the flame is a fire resistant composite, plus Australian rules require that they meet the criteria of the Civic Aviation & Safety Code) you get a sense what it was like to be a pioneer back in the first days of flight.

 

 Our pilot must of  read the air currents better than our "sister ships," because within minutes we were up around 5000 feet and above them as we flew around this valley for some great views as you can see below 

   So as we get ready to land our captain asked if some of us guys would jump out of the gondola to guild it along (as the flatbed truck could not access  the marshy grounds) which then it would transport the wicker basket back to our original starting point

  After the pilot asked in typical Aussie humor if anything poisonous grabbed us while in the tall grass? So i asked what kind of animal or plant that could that be? 

 Mate!! everything toxic in Australia, even the women 😂 (as he told me later he was going through a divorce)

Some cool history of Hot Air Balloons; 

A) Napoleon brought balloons as a psychology warfare tool to frighten his opponents
 B) They were used during the US Civil War as reconnaissance viewing aircraft to report crucial information from their high perch.
 Then would then either telegraph data or use special flags to signal what they saw
C) Used by meteorologists for atmospheric early studies
D) For aerial photography which helped enhance the accuracy that was obtained on ground level 

One interesting fact is Hot Air Balloons are restricted to fly during wet conditions as it becomes much harder to control for the pilot.
 Why you ask; the rain would accumulate on the top which makes the balloon heavier, burns more fuel thus adding up to perilous situation

Looking down at the Outback at approximately 4500 feet up

 To be above the other Hot Air Balloons my pilot would of researched the local conditions from the nearby airports, weather stations and service forecasters to get to a proper air current update
 Then he would by controlling the temperature and volume of the heat to inside the envelope to reach that level

Meanwhile to start the decent he would open a large vent at the top of the balloon plus valve off excess heat, which all makes it heavier as gravity takes over

Rome Colosseum

#Rome_Colosseum_Flavian_Amphitheater

The Rome Colosseum is a structure made of limestone, volcanic rock (tuff), timber and concrete which stands an impressive four stories tall
It took 60,000 to 100,000 Jewish slaves (after their defeat during the Jewish-Roman War) eight years to complete its construction
 It is still the largest amphitheater (Greek word amphi...both sides or all around) on earth

During those times of neglect plus abandonment the nearby Roman Catholic Church used the Colosseum like a quarry for its stone and built the Basilicas of St Peter, St John & Palazzo Venezia

Times have changed as now the arena welcomes millions of tourists per year
KeyTip:
 Tickets will range from $100 up to $400 depending on if its a private tour, to where you visit inside the Colosseum from the underground or arena floor

There were eighty entrances to the amphitheater, as the arches were numbered with Roman Numerals to serve as guides for sitting
 A) Seventy-six entry points were for the general audience
B) Two access ways for the participants of the events, which was called The Gate of Life for the gladiators
 C) The Gate of Death (located on the western side) for the combatants who did not fair so well in the contest and were carried out 
 D) Finally two archways was used exclusively by the Emperor

When the Colosseum first opened the Emperor Titus celebrated the completion of this massive structure with a hundred days of celebrations that included gladiatorial games and other events

One such fight between Priscus and Verus  went so well that (in a rare display of clemency) Titus declared both of them winners, so granted them their freedom (the wooden sword)

Also the Emperor would engage in public gift giving by throwing wooden balls into the crowd that had the prizes etched on them, which could of been for clothing, gold or even slaves 

The venue was also used to host dramas, navy battle reenactments and even public executions of criminals in theatrical ways based on Greek or Roman mythology

After the fall of the Roman Empire which was a gradual process resulting in a combination of factors including political instability, economic troubles, internal corruption and outside invading forces

 The Colosseum began to deteriorate
Add in earthquakes, passage of time and human neglect, which all meant by the 20th century nearly two-thirds of the original building had been destroyed

A restoration project began in the 1990s to repair the Colosseum and so today it plays host to millions of visitors each year plus has musical concerts plus events inside the arena 

We think of the Colosseum as old (1952 years) but compared to the Pyramids of Giza (4000 years) and Stonehenge which dates back 5000 years, it is young in historical terms but still very impressive

Fun fact;
 The original name of the Colosseum was the Flavian Amphitheater, which was the name of the dynasty that ruled the empire at this time
Historians also believe the current name came from The Colossus of Nero statue that stood outside the amphitheater

Being a huge follower of history, i couldn't wait to visit the Colosseum located in the middle of Rome. It was awe inspiring to see this amphitheater  

  Now once inside the arena you can envision when it could hold around 50,000 spectators who would view gladiatorial contests, executions and even mock sea battles. How you ask                                                                                                              

      Through a series of underground tunnels the Romans would flood the arena floor for Emperor Titus. Then they used special flat bottomed boats (because of the shallow water) to replicate naval battles, also they built an artificial island so sailors could land to fight 

The floor was around 83 by 48 meters (272 x 157 feet) but since it was made from wood plus covered with sand its long gone So because of this the top is open to view, you can now see how the hypogeum (underground) worked with its two level subterranean network of tunnels, hidden maze of rooms and cages 

 There were also 80 vertical shafts to access the hypogeum plus an extensive network of trap doors through which scenery elements could be deployed during the spectacles.

 

       

 If you were Roman your entry fee was free as Emperors used the arena to promote their political policies, if a foreigner you were of no use to the agenda being spoken so had to pay to watch.

          Speaking of no more use 😄 the site that the Colosseum sits on was once the location of an artificial lake from the Golden House of Nero.  Following his demise, much of his luxurious palace was destroyed or put to public use including his private lake

Fun Facts;
 A) The movie Gladiator was not filmed inside the Colosseum even though the director had permission. He decided it needed to look newer so built a stand-in Colosseum in Malta, plus many of the location shots were computer generated
B) You think of the Roman Empire and the name of Julius Caesar comes into your thoughts
 But he was never inside the Colosseum as the two never existed simultaneously, where he was assassinated 125 years before the gladiator games even started 

. 

The Colosseum was built with approximately 100,000 cubic meters / 3.5 million cubic feet of travertine limestone that was used for the main pillars, ground floor, external walls and the seats
(they no longer exists)
 Also the slabs of travertine were paved into the area to support the outer realm of the building
 and the remaining site was constructed with a mixture of concrete that were held together by 300 tons of iron clamps

Finally the Romans built a special road designed to transport the limestone from the quarries of Tivoli
 ( 32 kms / 20 miles away) to the arena 

                                              

Running Diamond Head Volcano

#Running_Diamond_Head_Hawaii

Hours are 6.00am to 6.00pm with a $10.00 per vehicle or $5.00 per person entrance fee
 So if you walk in, arrive via bus, taxi, trolley or in my case.......running 😅

Thank You Google Maps in explaining my trek for this latest adventure of mine

It equipped a local company with its Trekker Backpack Cameras to capture the imagery as it could not use their traditional Street View Cars (goes without saying) 

Diamond Head was a site of reverence and worship for the early Native Hawaiians with religious ceremonies plus sometimes (unfortunately) animal or human sacrifices,
 which was the norm for those times

Moving forward;
 Thanks to many local activists who stopped the development of this area into residential buildings, hotels and even a tramway to the top of the crater
It did so with the preservation plus establishment of Diamond Head as a historic site 

In 1904 Diamond Head was bought by the US Government (for $3,300) then turned into a military base (Fort Ruger) with the areas of the volcano being carved out for its bunkers plus batteries
Then the trail plus tunnels were built to allow the soldiers to reach the various lookouts and outposts which was all part of the islands coastal defense system

Finally the US Military transferred control to (then territory) Hawaii in 1955 which became a US State four years later 

Some of the stairs which gets you to the 560 vertical feet and the top level
 But certainly feels like a whole lot more with the heat plus footing conditions

 So do i need to say this; Proper Footwear and Hydrate

As you can see there is not a lot of natural cover from the sun, so wear a hat plus lather up on the sunscreen as they say its a 90 minute roundtrip journey, but with crowds that timeline maybe optimistic

As i sit on Waikiki Beach relaxing, you cannot help but notice Diamond Head
Volcano (named after when the British Sailors in the 1800s who thought the calcite crystals in the lava rocks were diamonds) overlooking the island of Oahu and sitting on the Pacific Ocean

Now I've been told by the locals that the trail (1.1km /0.6 miles) to the rim is manageable for the average person, but when i said  i was going to run it they rolled their eyes

Being me, upped the ante to say i was tacking on the 4kms (2.4 miles) from the hotel to the trail just to make things a bit more interesting 😃

As i do not consider myself the average person jajajaja

I leave the next morning early to avoid the heat plus tourists with the run to the trail as a non-event.

But then as you start on the trek to the top your footing consists on everything from volcanic dust, some concrete steps (70+ & 90+) few tunnels then finally a spiral staircase to an old military bunker at the summit (with great views of Waikiki and Pearl Harbor......yes i brought my camera 😁)

 I must admit it was tough plus i wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't fit, but the next day back at my favorite watering hole i raised my glass towards one of natures marvels and gave her a toast 👍 in presenting me with a another challenge to overcome.

Good to go early to avoid the crowds as its the most popular hiking trail in Hawaii plus you get to do a slow walk into history to get a glimpse from its geological and military past

The route starts in the parking lot (crater floor) which most of the walkway is paved concrete, but sections of the trail do include uneven and steep areas plus as you have seen the long stairways

Some of the trail to the summit from Fort Ruger was through these underground passages nicknamed the Mule Tunnel
 It was because of those animals which provided the transportation of some of the materials, while other heavier goods where hoisted by winch and cable

One of the many fortifications you will encounter plus amazing views along your hike plus please note;

A) No mountain bikes are allowed
 B) Stay on the marked trails
 C) No dogs allowed in Diamond Head Park
D) No open fires 
E) Over 25 people in a group a hiking permit is required