Willis's Walkabouts Newsletter 95, March 2018 — Last Chance
Never before have we made so many changes to the program in such a short time. With so many changes, I decided that I needed to get a newsletter out while there was still a chance to join us. If it hadn't been for Cyclone Marcus, this newsletter would have gone out almost a week ago.
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In this issue
WW 2018 — Big Changes Since January
See our discount page for our normal discounts.
See our PDF trip list for the list prices on every trip we offer.
Last Chance!
A new record! With more charters (two of which are now open to others) then we've ever had before, we had to cancel a number of the originally scheduled trips and make other changes to fit the new ones in. This is your last chance to book the following. Some are almost full. Others need more bookings or we will have to cancel them.
- King George: 20 May - 2 June
Visit some of the most spectacular parts of the Kimberley Coast while the waterfalls are still flowing and enjoy a float plane flight between the two sections.
Guide: Cassie Newnes. We shifted the start back by two weeks to allow Cassie to lead the trip as it is one of her favourite areas.
Special offer — $600 discount or $300 off either section. Our normal discounts still apply.
If we don't get more bookings by 1 April, we will have to cancel it. - Karijini National Park: 3-16 June
While there won't be as much water as in April, the daytime temperatures will be a lot cooler.
Special offer — $700 discount. New price $2995. No other discounts apply with this offer.
Probable guide: Annette Miller
If we don't get more bookings by 1 April, we will have to cancel it. - Kakadu: Waterfall and Baroalba Creeks: 10-20 June
Definite departure. Only two places left.
This is a special trip created on behalf of a small group who have a particular interest in Aboriginal art. Two separate walks with at least two nights at one camp, a cruise and night in accommodation in between the walks. - Kakadu: Koolpin to Twin via Jim Jim: 10-21 June
Definite departure. Only three places left. This was the first half of our original Kakadu Super Circle No. 2, booked by a group from the NPA of NSW. They didn't fill all the places and have now allowed us to take additional bookings. - Gibb Road Gorges: 10-24 June
The link above takes you to a new set of trip notes that went onto the web on 24 March.
While there is plenty of walking, this is the easiest Kimberley trip we offer.
Special offer — $500 discount. New price $3495. All our other normal discounts still apply.
If we don't get two more bookings by 10 April, we will have to cancel it. - West Macdonnells: 10-23 June
Two sections off the beaten track in the West Macdonnells. Either can be done on its own.
If we don't get more bookings by 10 April, we will have to cancel it.
Other Trips Through July
The following are the only other trips still available before the end of July.
- Kimberley Highlights No. 1: 13 May - 9 June
This is the ultimate taste of Kimberley bushwalking, five sections, any of which can be done on it's own.
Definite departure.
Special offer — 10% discount. Our 10% advance purchase discount expired on 13 March but we have extended it to the end of the month. - Charnley River: 24 June - 15 July
Definite departure. Probable guide: Russell Willis
Super Special Offer — $1000 discount. Better still, all our normal discounts still apply.
I need a packhorse/driver, someone who can carry an extra 5-6 kg in addition to their normal share and who can bring the vehicle back to Kununurra as the clients can fly.
Interested? Please email me and ask for more information. - Bungle Bungles: 1-9 July
Special offer — $800 discount. New price $2695.
We made major changes to the original itinerary so that the guide could bring his family along. See the trip notes, link above, for details.
Definite departure. Guide: Rod Costigan. - Kakadu Circle No. 2: 1-14 July
A long loop showing you some of the best Kakadu has to offer. A food drop divides the trip into two sections, either of which can be done on its own.
Definite departure. - Kakadu Circle No. 3: 16-31 July
A long loop showing you some of the best Kakadu has to offer. A food drop divides the trip into two sections, either of which can be done on its own. The extra time compared to Circle 2 allows you to visit a magnificent spot that can't be included in a 14 day trip. - Kakadu Highlights No. 6: 22 July - 5 August
Two sections, either of which can be done on its own.
Needs only one more booking to become a definite departure.
August Onwards
All trips still on our trip list are still available. The following already have bookings.
- Mitchell Plateau No. 3: 5-18 August
Our first trip to the Mitchell Plateau since 2015. Better still, you get to fly in and avoid the long drive. - Kakadu Compassionate Communication Retreat: 25 August - 1 September
Definite departure. Guides: Cassie Newnes and Shar Malloy. This trip ran for the first time last year. It went so well that this year's trip is already heavily booked. - Kakadu Short Overnight Walks No. 1: 26 August - 1 September
One of our two easiest overnight trips in Kakadu. Multiple nights at each camp with day walks to get you off the beaten track.
It might be possible to overlap this with the annual Mahbilil Festival. The Mahbilil web page refers to 'Saturday 26 August' which was 2017. If they keep the same relative date, it would be Saturday 25 August this year.
Your Health
Too Much Sitting is Bad for You
The Business Case for Reducing Sedentary Work Practices notes that "people who sit for more than 11 hours a day have a 40 per cent increased risk of death in the next three years compared with people who sit for less than four hours"
For the scientific details, see Sitting Time and Mortality. I've been spending far too much of my off time in front of a computer. Time I did other things.
Diet
- 'Raw water': The latest health craze for the wealthy
It is not only expensive, it might make you sick. - Orthorexia: The eating disorder 'explosion' caused by our obsession with health
- Orthorexia nervosa: when righteous eating becomes an obsession
Similar to the article above but with a lot more detail.
Your Eyes
Or more realistically, the eyes of the coming generations. 'Tsunami of myopia': Beware of too much close-range screen time
"We have four million short-sighted people in Australia at the moment, but by the year 2050 we're looking at 22 million."
Health Care
Australia follows America in a lot of ways, the first two articles below show what can happen.
- Why the U.S. Spends So Much More Than Other Nations on Health Care *
"Studies point to a simple reason, the prices, not to the amount of care. And lowering prices would upset a lot of people in the health industry." -
Amazon Wants to Disrupt Health Care in America. In China, Tech Giants Already Have *
"While the United States is focused on reining in costs, Chinese tech firms are looking to build the hospital of the future using artificial intelligence" - The Australians discovering the United States' hospitals are a wealth hazard
Aussies working in the US. Travel Insurance for a visit seems OK. - The Best Health Care System in the World: Which One Would You Pick? *
"To better understand one of the most heated U.S. policy debates, we created a tournament to judge which of these nations has the best health system: Canada, Britain, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, France, Australia and the U.S." - A perfect follow on from the above is
A grim winter looms for UK hospitals but there's an easy cure
If Australia did what is suggested for the UK, our health system would save money and give better results at the same time. Pity most politicians (and many health professionals) don't see it that way.
WW Overseas
Ready to Run
Overseas
We have now finalised three trips and have draft notes for two more.
- Madagascar: 4 weeks in September
We already have bookings and can take a maximum of only nine plus our guide. - New Caledonia: 2 or 3 weeks in September-October
- South Africa: 4 Weeks in September-October
- Northeast South Africa — Approx 4 weeks: October-November
Many of our trips have spent a week in Kruger. This one will spend about two weeks and will visit the far north as well as doing a number of walks, including overnight walks.
There is a lot of work involved in organising a trip like this. If you think there is any chance you might be interested, please have a look at the draft trip notes above and let me know. - Patagonia: About 4 Weeks in December-January
This would be one of the easiest Patagonia trips we've ever run. Details in the notes, link above.
Possible — Could You Be Interested?
In addition to the trips above, we hope to offer one or both of the following. We've had people ask about both of them, but need more interest before working out the full details.
- Vanuatu — first time in several years
Here's a link to the 2014 notes the last trip we offered. The new one would be similar, probably beginning in mid September.
Last Chance. While this is a great trip, we can't get it organised unless we start well before our Australian peak season. If we don't have any expressions of interest by mid April, we'll drop it for another year. - Scandinavian winter: February 2019
The trip will include a dog sled trip, many chances to see the northern lights and possibly experience a day or two when the sun never rises.
If you think you might be interested in any of our overseas trips, please email us and let us know. We need to start working now to make them happen. There is no point in doing all the work if there is no potential interest.
Note. None of the discounts which apply to our Australian trips apply to any of our overseas trips.
Artificial Intelligence
As China Marches Forward on A.I., the White House Is Silent *
"Last summer, China unveiled a plan to become the world's leader in artificial intelligence, challenging the longtime role of the United States."
In the last issue, I had a link to an article suggesting that the fear of artificial intelligence was overblown. Here's a Ted Talk with a somewhat different opinion.
Sugar — The Truth
The Conversation recently ran a four part series on sugar. Everything you need to know and maybe a bit more. I've added an interesting final link from The Conversation and one from the NY Times.
- You don’t need to quit sugar to improve your health
However, limiting the amount of sugar you consume does have benefits. - White, brown, raw, honey: which type of sugar is best?
- If sugar is so bad for us, why is the sugar in fruit OK?
"For starters, fruit is an excellent source of fibre. An average banana will provide 20-25% (6g) of your recommended daily fibre intake. Getting enough fibre in the diet is important for protecting against bowel cancer." - Yes, too much sugar is bad for our health — here's what the science says
Dementia, cancer and more, "Whether or not the sugar itself is the culprit, sugary foods are linked to health problems — and that should be reason enough to cut down. - We asked five experts: should I let my kids drink juice?
four of five said no. Click the links in the story to see why. - In Sweeping War on Obesity, Chile Slays Tony the Tiger *
"New regulations, which corporate interests delayed for almost a decade, require explicit labeling and limit the marketing of sugary foods to children."
Interesting that Chile can do something like this while Australia which is much more of a 'nanny state', can't.
Travel
A variety of interesting articles, at least one of which could be very useful.
- Viability of regional and rural airports under threat amid costly counter-terrorism measures
I wonder how this might affect Kununurra and Paraburdoo, the two regional airports we use for our trips. - 10 Best Luggage Travel Hacks of All Time
I wouldn't say that they are the '10 best' but they do offer some good ideas. - What Does Your Airfare Actually Buy? *
"As airlines charge more for amenities that used to be included in base fares, it is harder to know which ticket to get."
The story is from America. We haven't yet gone as far, but we're getting there. - The 747 Had a Great Run. But Farewell Doesn't Mean the End. *
The final Boeing 747 flight by any commercial United States airline took to the sky recently, with some tears and farewells. But a new life for the plane beckons. - NY Times list of 52 places to go this year. *
The Top End comes in at #12. Tasmania at #33. They were the only Australian places to make the list. - Seven of the best Australian road trips
- Europe on the cheap? Say hello to Asia first
While it didn't get a mention in the article, Norwegian Air is worth a mention, especially if you want to go a little bit upmarket. Their premium class isn't quite up to business but it is way above economy. They have flights to Europe from Singapore, Dubai and Bangkok. I was very happy with one of their premium flights when I took it.
Technology
Gadgets
- Snuggle robots and talking toilets: CES 2018's wildest gadgets
- The Autonomous Selfie Drone Is Here. Is Society Ready for It? *
"A start-up called Skydio has created a consumer drone that flies itself. Its tech is likely to become ubiquitous." - World’s first self-piloted electric flying car unveiled in New Zealand
The company "hopes to have limited flights available in NZ within the next 3-6 years." I wonder how it will be regulated.
Ethics
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In an Era of Online Outrage, Do Sensitivity Readers Result in Better Books, or Censorship? *
"A new class of editors is quietly reshaping children's literature, vetting books for cultural and racial stereotypes before they reach readers." -
Universities Rush to Roll Out Computer Science Ethics Courses *
"Schools that helped produce some of Silicon Valley's most prominent leaders are hustling to bring a more medicine-like morality to computer science."
"The idea is to train the next generation of technologists and policymakers to consider the ramifications of innovations — like autonomous weapons or self-driving cars — before those products go on sale."
The Dangers of Tech
Almost everyone should be able to find something they didn't know in this section. Almost all of it was new to me.
- The Looming Digital Meltdown *
"Modern computing security is like a flimsy house that needs to be fundamentally rebuilt. In recent years, we have suffered small collapses here and there, and made superficial fixes in response. There has been no real accountability for the companies at fault, even when the failures were a foreseeable result of underinvestment in security or substandard practices rather than an outdated trade-off of performance for security." - Welcome to the Post-Text Future *
"The internet was born in text. Now, video and audio are ascendant, writing is being left behind, and everything will be different."
"The haze of misinformation hanging over online life will only darken under multimedia — think of your phone as a Hollywood-grade visual-effects studio that could be used to make anyone appear to say or do anything. The ability to search audio and video as easily as we search text means, effectively, the end of any private space." - America's Real Digital Divide *
"The problem isn't that poor children don't have access to computers. It's that they spend too much time in front of them." (I'd be willing to bet that it's much the same here in Australia. - A Call to Cut Back Online Addictions. Pitted Against Just One More Click. *
"A Georgetown professor received a worldwide response to his monthlong call to limit online time, but that was just the beginning of the challenge." - The Follower Factory *
"Everyone wants to be popular online. Some even pay for it. Inside social media's black market." Very interesting! - For Russian 'Trolls', Instagram's Pictures Can Spread Wider Than Words *
"An anti-Islamic image created by a Kremlin-connected group has proved hard to kill, an indication of the challenge of monitoring social media for propaganda." -
Early Facebook and Google Employees Form Coalition to Fight What They Built *
"A group of Silicon Valley technologists plan to call attention to the dangers of tech, including working on an ad campaign aimed at 55,000 public schools."
Miscellaneous
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Why Companies and Countries Are Battling for Ascendancy in 5G *
"Taking an early lead in ultrafast next-generation wireless technology can give players a strategic advantage." -
Why a Big Utility Is Embracing Wind and Solar *
"Building renewable plants from scratch has become cheaper in some parts of the country than operating old coal-fired plants." This story is from America but it probably applies just as well in Australia.
The TPP is Back
Corporate profits are more important than people — at least that's what the government seems to think.
The TPP is going ahead, and not everyone in Australia is happy
"It will also go ahead with its most controversial element, the Investor State Dispute Settlements (ISDS) rule, intact. The ISDS will make it easier for multinational corporations to sue governments if they introduce policies perceived to harm those corporations' business interests."
It could get worse as explained in Why the affordability of pharmaceuticals in Australia could rely on Donald Trump
I had a lot to say about the TPP in previous issues of this newsletter. If you'd like to revisit those, here are the links.
• Newsletter 69, 'Your Health'
• Newsletter 70, last item in the 'Your Health' section.
• Newsletter 71, Trans Pacific Partnership Update
• Newsletter 78, Trans Pacific Partnership
• Newsletter 79, Trans Pacific Partnership — Yet More
• Trans Pacific Partnership — The Saga Continues
For better or worse, we elect the government. If that government signs a treaty which allows foreign corporations to sue for loss of profit, the government has failed the Australian people.
Thoughts on Our Society
Here is a small collection of stories about how the world is changing. They are all stories that should make you think.
Aging Society
These two stories are from Japan but they show the general direction in which developed countries are moving.
- When a country's towns and villages face extinction
Japan shows where most western societies are heading. Immigration is is the only thing that makes the difference for some of them. - Japan's Prisons Are a Haven for Elderly Women
Lonely seniors are shoplifting in search of the community and stability of jail. "Complaints and arrests involving elderly people, and women in particular, are taking place at rates above those of any other demographic group."
Three more to make you think
- We've got city planning wrong, not immigration
- Riding in cars with dogs: millions of trips a week tell us transport policy needs to change
"Dog owners depend very heavily on their cars to transport and care for their pets. Our recently published study estimates that dog owners make about 2.4 million dog-related trips a week in Sydney. We also found pet owners overwhelmingly want to be able to travel on public transport with their pets. So why are they still excluded?"
"It is interesting that in cultures where private cars are dominant — such as Australia and the US — dogs are restricted from riding on public transport. In Europe, where car ownership and use are less common and public transport use is more the norm, dogs are welcome on trains and buses." (In some places they are welcome in national parks.) - Why it might be time to eradicate sex segregation in sports
Intriguing idea.
Bushfires
I was recently quoted in an article theSydney Morning Herald Good Weekend magazine. 'There'll be no park to preserve': Australia's fuming wildfire-control debate
From the article, "Aboriginal-owned Arnhem Land, which borders Kakadu, is seen as doing much better." There are some who would disagree. David Bowman, now at the University of Tasmania, had been going back to the same patch in Arnhem Land doing a long term study. On his last visit last year, he told me that the only way he could find some of the metal tags that had been on some of the trees at his study site was with a metal detector. They were buried in ash.
I did a trip into Kakadu at the end of February accompanied by two Darwin locals. One of them made a comment about the lack of small lizards compared to backyards around Darwin or a couple of private places we'd just visited. Once that was pointed out, it was terribly obvious. Years ago, you couldn't sit down anywhere on a walk without seeing little lizards everywhere.
I managed to miss an important meeting about Kakadu fire management last month but hope to get more info at a later date. I've got several more bits of information but didn't have time to sort through them properly before sending this newsletter. More next time.
Climate
Heat
The arctic is warming faster than anywhere else. Warming there can disrupt weather patterns and bring unseasonally cold weather further south but there is no doubt that things are getting hotter overall.
- Arctic breaks 'crazy' winter record — signaling danger for the globe
- The freak warm Arctic weather is unusual, but getting less so
Somewhat more technical and a lot more information than the link above. "While the Arctic has been hot, Europe has been bitterly cold ... It might sound counter-intuitive, but this cold weather is directly linked to the recent warming event in the Arctic." - As Greenland Melts, Where's the Water Going? *
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2017 Was One of the Hottest Years on Record. And That Was Without El Niño. *
"It's startling to know there are individuals on the brink of adulthood who have spent their entire lives in a climate that, largely due to human activity, is vastly different from the one their parents experienced growing up."
Water
Sea level is rising faster in some places than others. I don't recall a tide of more than 7.99 m any time in my first 30 years in Darwin. We've already had four this year. Watching the waves crashing on to a footpath with no storm to push them higher, I could only wonder what it would have been like if we'd had a cyclone a the same time.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck
I recently read a book called The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson. Well worth the read. Here are a couple of quotes from the Good Reads Review (click 'more' to see the full review.)
"He tells it like it is — a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let's-all-feel-good mindset that has infected American society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up."
"Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better."
And a quote from the book, "everything worthwhile in life is won through surmounting the associated negative experience. Any attempt to escape the negative, to avoid it or quash it or silence it, only backfires. The avoidance of suffering is a form of suffering. The avoidance of struggle is a struggle. The denial of failure is a failure. Hiding what is shameful is itself a form of shame.
Pain is an inextricable thread in the fabric of life, and to tear it out is not only impossible, but destructive: attempting to tear it out unravels everything else with it. To try to avoid pain is to give too many fucks about pain. In contrast, if you're able to not give a fuck about the pain, you become unstoppable."
I particularly liked the references to scientific studies to back up some of his ideas. Well worth the read.
Our Website
The change should be almost invisible, but we have moved our website from the standard "http://" to the secure "https://".
Everything we've checked seemed OK, but if you find a problem, please let us know.
Photos, Videos & Just for Fun
Video
- The Writer Automaton, Switzerland
"A 240 year old doll that can write, a clockwork creation by Pierre Jaquet-Droz, a Swiss watchmaker. The doll is able to write any custom text up to 40 letters long, and it uses a goose feather to write, which he inks from time to time, including a shake of the wrist to prevent ink from spilling. His eyes follow the text being written, and the head moves when he takes some ink." Amazing! - The Tax System Explained in Beer
Definitely worth a watch.
Photos
- Nature Conservancy 2017 Photo Competition Winners
- How's This for Nostalgia
While it's based on the American experience, I'm sure it will bring back a few memories for Australians as well. - Super blue blood moon — in pictures
News About This Newsletter
Restricted websites. The NY Times allows non-subscribers to look at ten free articles each month. I've got more links than that in this newsletter so I've marked them with a red asterisk (*) so that you can choose which are of most interest to you. The Washington Post and The Economist both have limits but I'm not sure what the current limits is so I've marked Washington Post and Economist articles with a double red asterisk (**).
Next Newsletter — April? May? Depends a bit on how fast things change with our trips and how much time I have to work on it.
As always, I've already got a few things ready. Hopefully, I can get a bit of feedback about some of the things in this newsletter to include in the next one. As I've often said, Suggestions welcome.
Sending the newsletter
While I now send most of the newsletters using MailChimp, I still send about 200 newsletters using a program which is hosted on the same server that hosts our website. (MailChimp Free only allows 2000. The commercial version costs too much for an extra 200 people.) In both cases, the newsletters are sent from walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au. This is the contact address on our website. If you would like to continue to receive these newsletters, please include this address in your "friends list" so that it isn't blocked.
For some reason, some servers block the newsletters no matter what you try and do. I send these in small groups from my normal email. It's not a simple problem. If anyone thinks they might have an idea how to overcome the problem, I'd love to hear from you.
Emails sent to walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au are currently automatically forwarded to rrwillis at internode.on.net. If you want to send an email to that address, replace the word "at" with the symbol @. I am trying not to put that address any place where it can be harvested by spam bots.
We don't want to add to the mass of email spam. If you don't want our newsletter, please send us an email and let us know. We'll then delete your name from our newsletter list.
Our email address is walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au.
Note. Both MailChimp and the other program we use to send some of these newsletters have an automatic delete at the bottom. Clicking that link will delete you from the mailing list on the server but it will not delete you from our main database. One of the programs will not allow the auto delete to send me an email notifying me that a deletion has been made. If you want to be sure that you are removed from all further mailings, please send an email to walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au
If you know someone you think would enjoy this newsletter, please forward it to them. The more people who get it, the more likely it is that I'll be able to run the trips which might interest you.
Best wishes to all.
I hope you enjoy reading the newsletter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Russell Willis