AdventureSkope - the ramblings of Scott Kennedy

March 24, 2007

“We don't go anywhere. Going somewhere is for squares. We just go!”
– Marlon Brando (in The Wild One)

It’s been a long time since I’ve visited my own blog! Must be the sure sign that I’ve been busy! Well it’s hard to know where to start, but needless to say the answer to the question of, “what’s up?” Is LOTS! It’s been a great finish to the summer, with heaps of adventures over the past little bit. On the 10th of March I ran the Motatapu Marathon for the third year running, this annual summer highlight didn’t disappoint. I was stoked with how it went, it’s just a fantastic race over some superb terrain. It’s 42km over a big mountain pass, complete with some big hills and river crossings to spice it up. The first year I clocked up a time of 4hr 50min, year two 4hr 30min and this year 4hr on the button. So in a few years I might actually be competitive! It was a great feeling, I’d put lots of effort into my training and to have it pay off was rewarding beyond words.

Last weekend was also a pretty big milestone, on the 17th of March I turned the big three-o. It was a great day, I went for a big run with a few friends over The Routeburn Track, you’d think I’d know better then to run my second marathon distance in two consecutive Saturdays, perhaps wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age! All kidding aside it was a great run and made all the better to be finished off with a spa and a waiting party where the only running that was done was to the bar to grab another glass of red. It was a killer day and night with great friends!

The next month or so will be filled with a fair bit of planning because May is set to be the start of some pretty interesting and exciting times…

In Late April I’m headed back to the motherland, well my homeland that is. Canada, Calgary specifically, but only for a week. By the start of May I’ll be in the Big Apple, that’s right New York City. I’m going to catch up with a Queenstown friend, Andrew who has the somewhat mad, yet enviable plan to ride his bike across the USA. I’m going to try my hand at bike touring and join him for the first few weeks of his cross country adventure. It should be a hoot dispite inevitable sore arse!

After clocking up some serious mileage on the bike I’ll head north back to Calgary. The next phase of the adventure should be really interesting. I have the great pleasure of returning to my native land and looking upon it with new eyes. I’m going to be helping to research and write the new Canadian Lonely Planet. To visit places that I haven’t seen in years, to arrive at someplace new yet still know the way to get there is going to be a real treat. So to you Canucks out there, watch out I’m on my way!

When all of the work is done Sophie is going to join me and we are going to continue the eastern trend. First stopping in the wilds of Ontario to catch up with the extended family before getting on the kerosene budgie again to head to Europe. First Amsterdam for tulip appreciation and then Paris to see the birthplace of freedom fries. After the best part of a fortnight we’re off to the cradle of life – Africa. Tanzania for three weeks to get a taste of the magical land. Sarah, an old friend is living there now working with the Masai people as an occupational therapist, so to have the chance to get an inside tour of such an exotic location is an opportunity not to be missed. Safari, Kilimanjaro and the chance to volunteer and help out some people who truly need a hand is going to make for an experience not to be forgotten.

After Africa a short stop in Dubai to see the fastest growing city on the planet before returning to Queenstown in early October. It’s going to be a great trip, so many exotic locations and the chance to see the homefront in a whole new light is going to be just amazing.

I look forward to keeping all of you up to speed while we are on the road – there will be lots of stories to tell, adventures to be had and experiences to pass on. Until next time I’ll leave you with one more quote,

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”
-St Augustine

Be well wherever you are and talk to you soon,
Later
~Scott