Visual Aspects - Walking in the Royal National Park

YOURZ

You know, sometimes I need to be reminded how bloody lucky I am to live where I do.  Our recent trip to Royal National Park was one such time.

At Mine's behest, I went to a great website called Wildwalks and printed out a handy guide to what's known as the Bundeena To Marley walk.  According to the guide, the walk is about 9.5 km and would take us about 3 1/2 hours and rated 'hard' but we were up for a physical challenge.  It also meant I could cross it off my list as I'd always wanted to go.

The park is about 30 km south of Sydney CBD.  It was first established as a park in 1879 and is the second oldest national park  In 2006, it was added to the Australian National Heritage list.  It is mainly coastal heath with belts of littoral rainforest where shallow valleys dip the walker down to the coast.  We followed easy instructions that led us to a dirt car park on a stretch of the Bundeena road.  

The track starts out on opposite side of the road.  Ducking under the natural gates of She-Oak, the path starts out very easily and leads the walker gently down to the first ridge.  Here, I indulged my love of panorama photography.

Royal National Park panorama

We heard rather than saw a few of the local birds but spotted a New Holland Honeyeater as it made its rounds of the Banksia and various heath flowers.  But apart from the occasional skink, the heat of the day was obviously keeping the local fauna under cover. Along the track, we saw some beautiful banksias, red gums, and numerous unknown flowers like these:

  

                                         

The next stop was Deer Pond, so named because at one time, Royal National Park had quite a few deer in it and this was one of their favourite drinking holes.  The cooling fresh water and lovely shady strip of sand made it a welcome stop for us too. 

Deer Pond

After a refreshing dip and a quick snack, it was onwards to the beach.

This part of the track was probably the hardest going.  We're reasonably fit but while we didn't struggle, we didn't talk much either.  The track led out on to a much larger fire break that switch backs down to the coast line.  It was more exposed and we really felt the heat but could also hear the ocean pounding in the distance.  The payoff came after some good hard slogging, with the heath opening up to views like this one.

Looking down to the coast

Not too long after, we dropped down the final part of the track, one way leading to Marley Beach, the other to Little Marley.  We went north to the big one, hoping to find some shade and a spot for a picnic.  Marley Beach, however, is quite exposed and the surf was huge and angry.  We headed back south to Little Marley.  Almost conversely, it has a nice overhanging low cliff at one end, which offered up a great shady spot to stop and have a break.  The sheltered little beach provided a picturesque backdrop too.

Little Marley Beach

After a bit of relaxing, it was time to get going back up although this was a little tougher, 'up' being the operative word and all.  We stopped again at what I've renamed the 'Yes, Dear' Pond, in tribute to Mine as its one of her favourite expressions.  After another cooling dip, we hit the final stretch back to the car park.  

I think we worked out the whole round trip took us 4 1/2 hours, but given we'd stopped along the way, this is hardly surprising.  What is surprising, however, is how beautiful the area is and how close it is to the city.  It is truly one of Sydney's hidden jewels and well worth a day out.  Next time, we'll do the overnight coast walk, okay Mine?  Mine?  Hello...

VERDICT: VITAL

MINE

For one reason and another, YourZ and I have decided this year to scrap our pricey gym membership and take more time exercising au natural. (No, you Philistines, not in the nude, in the open air!)  Thus, the desire to tramp around large parts of parkland.  It's also part of our desire to take in as much of  what Sydney has to offer as possible, as we've decided it's not going to be our forever-home.  When we have a free weekend (and with other commitments plus my moving shift schedule, these are rare) we plan to see what the many national Parks in our area have to offer.

I must admit, I didn't look too closely at this walk before YourZ suggested it, and if I'd noticed it was rated "hard" I might have protested.  But even though it tested us (I had sore calves and glutes for a couple of days) it was so worth it.  The scenery!  The wildlife! The beaches!  And all less than an hour from our front door!

I guess the main thing I found from this - apart from the fact that I want to do more, please - is that I've often driven past Royal National Park without actually seeing quite how big and wild and varied it is.  And while I'm sure the next walk will be somewhere else - Ku-Ring-Gai Chase or Lane Cove perhaps - I do hope we go back to it.  It's spectacular.

VERDICT: Vital

King Farook - Land Of The Horny

YOURZ

I first heard about King Farook through a work mate, whose son is the lead singer in this great band.  He was obviously a proud Dad and talked up the band a lot.  And to be honest, I didn't take a huge amount of notice as I'd heard it all before.  But then he gave me this CD.  Listening to King Farook's hybrid of funk, rock, hip hop and whatever else they throw in to the mix convinced me. 

Land Of The Horny is a party album in waiting, with the emphasis on party.  Like a good party, this album peaks and declines, giving both band and listener a chance to catch a breath before kicking the energy up again.  But it is all about the groove, about booty-shaking beats and tighter than tighty-whites instrumentation.

They've also garnered a reputation for being one of the best live bands around, somethinng I'll only be able to confirm when I see them for myself.  And I guess this will be sooner than later.  Stay tuned...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Another reason not to judge a book by its cover.  I thought these  guys would be yet another hip-hop act doing shouty stuff I'd hate.  But instead, they're fun, funky, cheeky, rude, totally danceable and completely delightful!  One for our next party.  One to see live.  Catch them in Sydney on the 13th of November (check the website) and hopefully we'll be there too!  Sounds like a great birthday night out... over to you, my love?

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and get down

For more information: http://www.kingfarook.com/

Pivot - O Soundtrack My Heart

YOURZ

I don't know what possessed me to buy O Soundtrack My Heart but I'm pleased I did.  It has been languishing in the collection for some time but not for long.  The band formerly known as Pivot but now as PVT (after a legal claim from an American band of the same name) are quite possibly one of the most refreshingly interesting instrumental bands I've ever heard.

Formed in Sydney by brothers Richard and Laurence Pike, with the later addition of Perth eletronic musician Dave Miller, PVT have slowly built a dedicated following in both the general public and within the music industry itself, so much so they were invited by curator Brian Eno to perform at the Luminous Festival, held at the Sydney Opera House in 2009. 

I would love to spend hours trying to adequately describe the PVT sound but don't really have the time.  Succinctly, they straddle territory I can only describe as a electronia/rock version of Morricone.  Deservedly, I expect PVT to be featured on any number of soundtracks in the near future. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Instrumental.  A bit clever-clever.  Not really my thing, but I can see why he bought it.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://pvtpvt.net/window

Gerling - Bad Blood

MINE

Bangin' tunes.  Made we want to throw my hands in the air, hunt out some glowsticks and take a trip to the nearest nightclub.  BUT (sorry YourZ) I do have a problem with this CD.  Like a perfectly-ripened peach, like a sticky toddler playing on a shag carpet, like a drunk-driver about to make his debut on a Most Wanted reality show - this CD has FUZZ all over it.

Seriously, it's like they found the fuzz button on the effects box and thought "Oh, that'll fit in there - and there- and there..."  Plus there's the not-so-occasional shouty lyric.  And call me conservative, but I like listening to music where people sing.  As I've explained in boring length and detail on many other reviews, right here.  At least it goes to show I'm consistent.  Whether it's hip-hop, rock, metal or dance, Mine says PLEASE DON'T SHOUT.  Or only for effect, not right the way through the song.  Thankyou.

But the tunes are bangin'.  I could probably forgive the "We've Got  A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It" attitude Gerling have if I've had enough to drink and fancy shakin' my ass, but otherwise...

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

Gerling are a great indie band from my home town of Sydney.  I've seen these guys around heaps but have only seen them perform live a few times which is truly an experience in itself as these are often organised chaos and a truck-load of crazy.

I really like their DIY ethic too.  They've always operated in their own space, taking very little notice of popular trends or music directions.  They are fearless in their adoption of electronica and were one of the first bands I heard that effectively combined both indie guitars and electronica into something much more interesting than I thought possible.  They were also one of the first bands where I heard the term 'indie-dance' applied to them.  It was this fearlessness that helped inspire me to set up my first home recording studio and start experimenting with digital technology.

Bad Blood, their third full length, is probably the most polished of their albums (although I haven't heard 4, the last album they released before going on an indefinite hiatus).  It certainly sees them expanding on their unique palette of instrumentations.  There is more than a little nod, in respects, to the musical adventurousness of acts such as Sonic Youth, although Gerling has a pop sensibility and a cheekiness not associated with Thurston and co. 

The album jumps from indie-rock to indie-dance and back again.  While this might sound like a confused playlist (and probably would be in the hands of lesser performers), Gerling move seamlessly from one mode to another, proving you can have your dance and rock it too.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and let's get freaky

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/gerling

In our collection we also have Children Of Telepathic Experiences, Death To The Apple Gerls (EP), A Day Of Research (EP)