Western Australian Wildflowers by their Noongar Names.

Pudjak…Banksia sessilis or parrot bush, abundant species in the southwest of Western Australia

With 40% of the world’s indigenous languages at risk of disappearing, this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (August 9) has a special focus on language. The UN calls on countries to ‘…recognise, protect and promote indigenous languages through legislation, policies and other strategies…’

In celebration of our unique and breathtaking flora, and acknowledgement of the Noongar land we inhabit in Australia’s southwest, here is a small collection of wildflowers, their Noongar names and their traditional uses.

CARA - Caladenia arenicola

Orchids (Djubak ) are much sought-after beauties and our southwest is gifted with a great diversity of orchids. What many people do not know is that these beautiful & delicate orchids used to form part of the Noongar spring diet. Their kidney shaped roots, distinguished by their maturity, can be eaten raw when young (chokern) or roasted when mature (naank). Likewise, the hollow, onion-like single stem that shoots up before the flower can be eaten raw and is supposedly sweet and gelatinous.

PUDJAK - Banksia sessilis

Commonly known as parrot bush as it attracts the endemic ring-necked parrots. This plant’s flower has traditionally been used for its sweet nectar and its wood to make message sticks allowing different Noongar tribes to communicate. The leaves are hard and their edges pointy and prickly. There is a lovely corridor of tall Pudjak bushes between Moses Rock North and the Moses Rock campground on the Cape to Cape.

BALGA - Xanthorrhoea preissii

Balga - so many uses for this magnificent iconic Australian plant.

The Balga - or grasstree - in a dominant feature in the Australian landscape. Noongar people have made used of this plant in many ways. For food, they used to dig down to the shoots at the bottom of the grass. Also, Its fronds could be used to cover shelters and its resin both as a tanning or binding agent.

KOORLA - Hardenbergia comptoniana

The stems from the prolific Native Wisteria plants were used to help build shelters and also as rope.

MINDALENY - Acacia Pulchella

Wattle had a lot of uses in Noongar tradition. The seeds of this and other species, like Acacia cyclops, were ground and baked into damper. The juice from the leaves could also be used to relieve eczema, repel insects and protect from sunburn. Also, the bark could be stripped from the wood and treated with fat from animals like kangaroo (yonga) or lizard (gnoomoon) and made pliable to tie things together.

KURULBRANG - Anigozanthos flavidus

The Red Kangaroo Paw, our state flower was a rich source of starchy calories for Noongar people. It is known for attracting birds like the Red Breasted Robin.

KARA - Burchardia congesta

These pretty Milkmaid flowers found along the Cape to Cape from September to November have a starchy, fleshy that could be eaten raw or baked over coals on a fire.

There are some excellent resources available if you are interested in Noongar plant names and uses. John Horsfall & Vivienne Hansen’s Noongar Bush Medicine: Medicinal Plants of the South-west of Western Australia and their latest Noongar Bush Tucker: Bush Food Plants and Fungi of the South-West of Western Australia are a delightful and comprehensive collection of many traditional culinary and medicinal uses for plants of Western Australia’s southwest.

I also looked at this site for some names https://www.perthnrm.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Traditonal-Ecological-Knowledge-By-Noongar-Names-Jan-2016.pdf

Small baby steps...

‘Creativity is something you practice not just a talent you are born with’

Wise words from IDEO design gurus David and Tom Kelley. In one of their contributions to the Harvard Business Review they talk about four fears that hinder most people from accessing ‘creative confidence’.

They blame creative blocks on four core fears: the fear of the ‘messy’ unknown, the fear of being judged, the fear of taking the first step and the fear of letting go.

They liken these fears to serious phobias and point to the work of renowned psychiatrist Dr. Albert Bandura and his groundbreaking work in helping people overcome their greatest fears. Dr. Bandura gets his clients to step-by-step increase his patient’s ability to deal with the feared object, for example, a snake.
The first step is looking at it in a two-way mirror, then looking at it through a doorway, then touching it with a big industrial glove and finally touching it bare handed. The key to over coming these fears?

Small, baby steps. 

Simple, isn’t it?

Since 2002 I have been running creativity workshops in some form or other. In the first couple of years the workshops were inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.  I organised small groups of about 6 - 8 people for a series of workshops over 12 weeks. We came together, did some activities and tasks aimed at reconnecting with our creative power and shared and supported each other through the journey of creative recovery.  

It was great fun and most people reconnected with their creativity and completed creative projects that to that date had only been a dream. Vanessa, who was interested in interior design and had started to delve into tiles and ceramics, followed the techniques for the full 12 weeks and began by doing some mosaics, then got a job at an exclusive tile showroom, for many years now she has been running her own interior design company in Sydney.

Another lady in her late sixties, finally got around to clearing out her studio by the river and began a series of watercolours which she turned into postcards to send her friends. One man, Peter, loved to write but was so afraid that if he put pen to paper it would all be rubbish. He began a gentle free writing practice that freed him up to express himself authentically and discover what he really wanted: to begin his own consulting business in alternative medicine and martial arts.

At the time I was deeply taken aback by the effect that the workshops were having on people... and on myself. During that time, I received funding to direct and produce my play Trollop(e), received funding for a novel, started a Masters and most importantly, planted the seeds that would grow into Act Out and later into, Edgewalkers.

What I was unwittingly but effectively doing, was not just cautiously guiding individuals along their journey of creative recovery but I was also letting myself take the first steps and overcome the incredible fear of the messy unknown that working for myself presented.

Those small, safe and simple creativity workshops were my way of crawling before standing up; toddling before walking. I learnt one workshop at a time, a few clients at a time; learnt by gently doing & learning what needs to be learnt to establish a new business based on creative approaches.

'I'm going to look like a fool!' one client said to me. He was part of a group being coached in assertive communication.

Yes! That's what I thought too when I thought about approaching clients with these 'airy-fairy' aesthetic, embodied, arts-based approaches, 'they're going to laugh at me!’

But they didn't.

Today based on my own ideas, practice and research, I am able to work on what I feel inspired to do. Today I am happy to stride in some areas of my life and toddle slowly in others.

What messy unknown are you scared of? What are you fearful of being judged about? Where are you fearful to take your fist step into? What are you holding on to? 

Remember what the creativity gurus said: small, baby steps!

Mongolia Walking Tour 2019 ... 9 intrepid women take on the Mongolia Wilderness - Day 1

The majestic view (above) of the Altai Mountain range greets us as we near the entry to the Tavan Bogd National Park. After travelling in a bumpy, 4WD Russian furgon van for over 6 hours this view of our destination is a welcomed sight. It also brings home the spectacle and grandeur of the following 9 days.

We were 12 walkers altogether: Deb, Leonie and Marg from Victoria and Natalia, Narelle, Robyn, Clare, Claire and Annette from Western Australia, Gundee our local expert guide who supported all our activities, Aibek our assistant guide and I.

Aibek (our assistant guide), Natalia, Claire, Robyn, Marg, Leonie, Annette, Clare, Debra, Narelle and Gundee … our local guide and Erika, Edgewalkers founder and facilitator.

The skies were a blinding blue and the weather mild and perfect for our first jaunt into the Mongolian wilderness. It really is a walker’s delight with so much space, expansive skies and a magnificent view no matter where you look!

Making our way towards our first camp on the southern shores of Khoton Lake in the Tavan Bogd National Park.

The Tavan Bogd National Park first attracted me because of its location along 4 different borders: Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan and Russia. It is mostly inhabited in the summer months when Kazakh and Tuvan nomads bring their animals to its green pastures. The National Park not only contains lakes, mountains, lush and rugged valleys and alpine sceneries, but also Mongolia’s highest peak, Khuten Mountain (4,300 metres) and the Potanin Glacier, Mongolia’s largest glacier.

We walk for about 10 kilometres to join our camp on the southern shores of Khoton Lake. The team there consists of our main cook, the wonderful Boggy and her assistant cook, Burma. We also have two friendly and helpful camel wranglers who manage the six camels that carry all of the gear and food for our expedition.

Camping on the south-western banks of Khoton Lake in the Tavan Bogd National Park - July 2019.

Our first dinner in the wilderness…we had a banquet every night thanks to Boggy (in background) our wonderful cook and Burma, her assistant. They managed to cook all vegetarian meals and cater for a gluten free walker!

And our first day comes to a tranquil and peaceful end on the shores of Khoton Lake.

Unpacking the voices that hold us back - why theatre is effective

Dr Erika Jacobson

“I cannot do it”, “I am too old”, “I don’t know enough”, “I don’t have a creative bone in my body”, “nothing ever changes”, “ I’ll never make any money”, “to get on in life you have to be realistic”, “I won’t be taken seriously”, “I’ve got nothing worthwhile to say”, “I’ll never have time”, “it won’t be good enough”, “I’ll look like a fool”… the list can go on and on.

Disheartening and pernicious, thoughts like these lurk around our minds like shady characters constantly whispering and criticising; judging and throwing doubt, deterring and deflating our dreams of a more creative life.

Using aesthetic, applied theatre techniques when exploring and unpacking some of these voices can be so powerful for three reasons:

1. The collective - When working on issues that affect a group of people, one person’s individual story can be the springboard for the collective examination of what is going on for everyone. This approach can allow people in a group to understand their own story by examining another person’s. As well as collectively exposing the voices that hold everyone back, the group can creatively problem-solve and rehearse possibilities for overcoming obstacles. ‘We do not interpret, we explain nothing, we only offer multiple points of reference.’ (Boal, 1995)

2. The aesthetics – the use of a creative media such as theatre, as well as painting, writing and sculptures, help to shift the brain from a survival, linear thinking pattern to a more imaginative, metaphoric, storytelling pattern that allows a playful yet deep examination of what's really going on.

3. The reconnection – working with the whole body means working with the whole person, their senses, their minds, and their emotions. When a challenge is examined using the whole of our bodies there is greater clarity and honesty. Similarly, when alternatives are rehearsed in this empowered state this rehearsal leaves a profound imprint, which can be the beginning of transformation.

Photos: Donna Wolter - Echoe Images

Location: Js Retreat, Wilyabrup, Western Australia

8 ways you might be stopping your creative practice in its tracks

I know what it's like.

Every day you say to yourself: tomorrow I am going to set up the corner of the verandah with my easel; or, next week, when this busy period at work is finished, I'll start writing daily; or, this weekend, I'm definitely heading out to take some photos in the park.

But it just does NOT happen. 

'I just can't seem to find the time!'
'Time just gets away from me!'
'If I only had another couple of hours a day!'
Sound familiar? It does to me! There is no doubt that most of us can list real and legitimate reasons for why we are time poor.

But let’s be honest, really honest.

We all fall prey to one or more of the following 8 activities, don’t we? Let’s take a closer look at what I think are our biggest time sucks:

1.    WORK – Ok, most of us have to do this. And true, work comes with certain time restraints that are just not negotiable. Add to that children or managing a small business, or having a leadership role, and demands on your time are high, no doubt.

But just examine closely this area of your life and see if you are doing more than you need to? Do you answer emails when you know that they can wait until you are back in the office or at the end of the weekend? Are you doing work that you ought to be delegating? Are you so immersed in the world of work that you no longer feel connected to other aspects of your life?

It’s not just about workaholism, which is a ’thing’; it’s about giving work more priority than you need to. Are you?

2.    TV / NETFLIX … or any other entertainment or gaming: this is my favourite time suck! I am so guilty of Netflix bingeing. I know exactly what it’s like, and I love losing myself in a great Nordic crime thriller or watching episode after episode of Orange is the New Black… or whatever catches my attention. What about you? How much of your time is poured into entertainment and passively watching someone else’s creative output? Would missing an episode of My Kitchen Rules be that detrimental to your week? Can you do one day without Wordscapes?

3.    ALCOHOL/DRUGS… has ‘taking the edge off your day’ become something that extends for the whole evening… every evening? Is it the first thing you do when you get home from work?

If you are self-medicating for existing issues (we all have them there is no shame in taking a look at them) maybe it’s time to get some professional help. I’m not against a bit of mind-altered time but we all know when we are over indulging, right?

4.    OVER-EXERCISING – I love exercising and it is part of my self-care and wellbeing, so I am very conscious of how important it is to make time for it and that sometimes this is also hard to prioritise.

That’s not what I am talking about here.

Over-exercising is when you cross the line between a healthy, life-enhancing habit and damaging, obsessive behaviours. If you are reading this and something has come up for you because you know you do this, that is what I mean!

5. OVER READING – like exercising, such an enjoyable, benign and rewarding activity. Learning new facts, experiencing new fictitious characters and situations, expanding your mind. But when we are trying to create something new, we need time and space to think and engage our imagination. Are you escaping into someone else’s creation and imagination to avoid facing yours? Are you filling your head with so much information that you have no space for thinking something of your own?

6.    SOCIAL MEDIA – who is not a culprit here? For the last 7 years, since I have started using social media for marketing, promotion and sales, I have been spending a disproportionally large amount of time staring at the phone or tablet screen. Because it’s a work activity I have to do, I’ve tried to turn it into a platform for some self-expression and creativity. But what a time suck! Isn’t it? I know you know what I a mean! How might you reduce the time you spend here?  

7.    FRIENDS – what is life without friends? If you are lucky to have good friends, awesome, rejoice! Spending time with friends is important. It’s also equally important to spend time alone, by yourself. If you don’t have a good balance of ‘friend time’ and ‘ME time’, take a look at what you are, perhaps, avoiding. Their latest news will still be there next time you catch up, and maybe you’ll be sharing with them about your latest project.

8.    NEEDY PEOPLE – how wonderful does it feel to be doing good for someone else? And good for you! I’m not saying you have to turn into a selfish, uncaring person. But are you putting other people ahead of yourself, all the time? You might want to look at that.

It is important to support and help people we know are having a hard time, the way people have helped us. But you know where I’m going with this. I’m talking about the people who take, take and take some more. People whose life is always drama and emotional rollercoasters, the ones Julia Cameron calls ‘crazy-makers’ and who might never get enough of you even if you spent all day with them.

SUGGESTIONS

Caveat: there is nothing inherently WRONG with any of the above behaviours - I am simply pointing out areas where I have been able to carve extra hours for myself in order to pursue my creativity.

Here are some suggestions to stay on track:

1. set some boundaries:

   for yourself… get some RIGHT NOW! e.g. No email or text responses after 9 pm. No laptop in the bedroom. No work reading material in bed. Netflix only 5 times a week.

   for others… tell people what you’re up to. Don’t always pick up the phone. Tell people who care about you (without making it sound like you are going to join a cult) what you are up to. Let them know that you have set aside some time to make stuff. They might follow suit!

2. self-awareness: ultimately, a great goal - a reflective, journaling practice has helped me to understand my behaviours and deal with them more effectively. Knowing ourselves better is key to knowing what motivates us and what gets in our way.

3. time yourself: I have started doing this regularly. I set the timer on my phone and let myself indulge in a game or a magazine article, and when the timer is done, I go back to what I was doing.

4. alcohol free evenings: go on, you can do it!

   If you have any suggestions or have ways of managing your time that you’d like to share, feel free to post below!

Who is Dr Erika Jacobson?

The other day I was at a cafe where I display flyers for our retreats. Two women were having coffee, one of them had one of our flyers in her hand. As I walked by, feeling quite happy that someone was interested in a retreat, I overheard her saying to her friend: ‘who is this Dr Erika Jacobson?’

Isn’t that funny? I wanted to turn around and say: it’ me!! I’m that chick.

I didn’t. But as I walked back up the street with my soy flat white in hand, I was thinking two things:

1.    OMG, there must be a whole lot of people out there who have seen the marketing material for the creativity retreats and wondered the same thing. Who the hell am I? They don’t know why I’m claiming I can help them;

2.    If I had turned around and said to the woman in the café: hi, it’s me, I design and facilitate the retreats, what would she want to know?

So here are few fun facts to help you see if I am the right person to spark your creative mojo:

• I teach Creativity & Innovation at Murdoch University - I designed the structure and content …actually, since 2002 I have been teaching people how to embrace their self-expression and be more creative…so I have a tool box full of techniques, processes and activities that spark creativity, help explore creative blocks and generate ideas;

• I have a degree in writing; I have taught writing since 1996 in various forms to diverse students, I have written two novels (unpublished - one was funded by DAC), I’ve written, directed and produced six plays with state, federal & non-government funding…I have taught it long enough to know that the main lesson is that you have to turn up - because YOU CAN’T EDIT AN EMPTY PAGE!

• I was a zumba instructor for 8 years… relevant because…I got moves ;-)

• Through Act Out, a business I founded in 2007, I used creativity, social theatre and other arts-based approaches to help communities problem-solve around tough and wicked issues like domestic & family violence, sexual abuse, bullying, marginalisation, eating disorders, racism, sexism…to collectively express the problem and access creative solutions and share that with the community;

• Over the years I have learnt that what I love the most is being creative, having adventures, walking, especially in nature, and travelling…so I created Edgewalkers - it’s my way of combining it all… it’s going OK so far ;-)

• Most importantly, I have developed a creative habit, that is, I regularly engage in a creative activity that fuels my spirit, whether it is a daily writing practice or a daily yoga practice, or a daily walking practice, I understand the importance of sticking with it NO MATTER WHAT… I have learnt that judging the outcome, the creating process is what is liberating and expansive, not the creation itself…sure, that can be a work of art that everyone admires or a something mediocre that nobody notices, but it does not matter, the gold is the action of being in a creative action regularly.

• Basically, I have been turning what I love into income generating endeavours since 2002… and that is something worth sharing…

MOTIVATION - 5 WAYS TO STAY IN THE ZONE

You’ve taken the steps to doing something you love and set some big goals in your life. You have stepped out of your comfort zone and challenged yourself by taking a sculpting or drawing class, registering a business name; you have been getting up early and working on your autobiographical novel or swimming at the beach every morning...maybe you have even joined one of our Edgewalkers Creativity & Walking Retreats. Great!
You have moved out of dreaming, planning, maybe procrastinating...and into action!
 
Enthusiasm is rampant at the start; the possibilities of living more creatively, more connected to your body & nature and with more energy and self-expression are exciting and motivating. However, if you are anything like me, staying in the zone can be a challenge.
 
Here are 5 things that I know help me sustain my enthusiasm when it slackens, maintain my focus when it diverts and keep me loving the life I create daily when I doubt my choices.

Creativity & Walking Retreat 2017 - Margaret River, Western Australia

1. Make it a habit 

“Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits.” Twyla Tharp

I know that sounds counter-intuitive because we grow up with the notion that creativity is something that is inspired by a muse or suddenly happens to specially gifted and talented people. Or as Tharp puts it 'we think creativity is a way of keeping everything fresh and new, while habit implies routine and repetition.' But anything that we want to become good at requires practice. Even the most talented of athletes or musicians will invest tens of thousands of hours on repetitive tasks just to make them second nature. 

For the last two months I have been rekindling a yoga practice. Why? It's good for me: my moods are better, my body feels alive, my head is clearer and kinder and softer; quieter, less neurotic. And, in relation to my business and the life I am living and creating, it gives me the focus & strength to hold a large space for it all to manifest and take place in.

So here's how I am creating the habit: I just SHOW UP. Every day. Don't worry about whether you write a lot, walk enough kilometres, paint with the right colours or hit the right notes; don't worry about whether you've got the right workspace or studio or business model; just show up; because once you show up, as YogaLab owner & teacher Shawn Taylor, reminds us every day, the hardest part is over. 

Show up enough times so the blank page will no longer be terrifying; enough times so that your fingers don't hurt across the guitar strings; enough times so that you generate enough income to call yourself a business, show up until, as my performance specialist friend Julie Meek calls it, the habit is 'non-negotiable'.

I have other habits that serve me well. I write every day. I walk every day. And now, at least five times a week, I show up on the mat.

2. Achieve one small goal at a time...with gratitude

Walking in Mongolia - Tavan Bogd National Park

I tramp a perpetual journey - Walt Whitman

I have a big vision for Edgewalkers. I want Edgewalkers to grow into a successful, international company that plays a role in bringing people closer to nature and to their most creative, self-expressive & adventurous selves. In addition, I want to continue to conduct community & organisational development through theatre-based, transformative & creative approaches to tackle difficult issues all over Australia and the world. And, I want to continue creating both academic and popular content about it all. And...(breath) I want  go on a long hiking adventure every year.

Right now, I could basically be working all day & night to do everything I want to do! There is always content to write, improvements to make on the website, on our marketing; there is always social media to post, networks to build, clients to contact, writing to edit, new tracks to walk, packages to sell. It is endless. For me acknowledging each small goal at a time reminds me that although there is a long 'to do list' I am on track and present.

Acknowledge your small wins with marked actions and small celebrations. When you make that difficult phone call; when you run all the way up the hill without a break; when you pay one more instalment of your epic holiday...or when you simply turn up daily. Record it somewhere. Reflect on it. Rejoice deep inside and...be grateful.

Thank yourself and everything that has conspired to come together as a result of your intention and each little action you have taken to get to where you are. I like to burn candles as gestures of gratitude and accomplishment. If that is too hippy for you, then do something more transactional and buy yourself movie tickets, or get your hair done, or have some chocolate. 

I also use a whiteboard (I'm a hippy with attitude) where I jot weekly goals (usually I just change the dates and some of items on the list remain the same) and as I move through them I cross them off with different coloured pens! At the end of the week I have a colourful testament to me being absolutely on track to my bigger vision. 

Despite all of this, I still have to remind myself daily to listen to my own advice because like everyone else, I can so easily get bogged down in fear, impatience & stress...I find this as difficult as you do.

3. Embrace differences

"A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms'  Zen Shin

Don’t compare yourself to others. ‘Yeah, yeah’ I can hear your cynic saying, you’ve heard that before; well hear it again! You are unique. We all are. Comparing ourselves to others is a sure way to lose motivation. There are going to be people who have already run a marathon, published a book (or two), won photography prizes, established successful businesses or climbed Mt Kilimanjaro; there are people who swim faster, jump higher and will always look better than you in a bikini. Get over it! Shift your perception to where YOU are right now and how wonderful that is. Be inspired by what others are doing, rejoice in their achievements but remain focused on your own unique goals. 

 4. Surround yourself with support & inspiration

When it is clear you are amongst like-minded people - Creativity & Walking Retreat April 2016

"you are a sea of light. open your eyes. see yourself' Nayyirah Waheed

Firstly, surround yourself with your own inspiration. Allocate a certain amount of time a day to read, watch, listen or do what you know inspires you. It does not have to be long or complicated.

I am a staunch Morning Pages advocate, even though I had always kept a journal beforehand, I have been doing Morning Pages since I first read Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way in 1999. Three pages of unadulterated, stream-of-consciousness writing that allows my mind to empty out concerns & insecurities as well as motivate & show me a way through difficulties. They are like a meditation. As Cameron puts it: 

"in Morning Pages ...we pull ourselves inward to the core of our true values, perceptions, and agendas...it is a form of meditation, a particularly potent and freeing form ...our worries, fantasies, anxieties, hopes, dreams, concerns and convictions all float freely across the page. The page becomes a screen for our consciousness. Our thoughts are like clouds crossing before the mountain of our observing eye."

The Morning Pages take me fifteen to thirty minutes and; every time, they slow me right down and help me start my day more connected to myself and why I am doing what I am doing.

Secondly, surround yourself with the inspiration of others. Be around people who leave you expanded and excited about life and what you are doing & what they are doing; people who leave you feeling lighter and brighter. You know who these people are; they are interested in what you say to them, they see the light and the value of what you are doing. Surround yourself with people who may not be coming along with you but encourage you on your unique adventure.

This also means staying far, far away from people who, for whatever reason, do not or cannot support or encourage you. Cameron calls them 'poisonous playmates'. Maybe it's because our new direction threatens them. Maybe it's because they do not have the imagination or the courage to step into their own self-expression and dreams. Whatever the reasons, we have to stay away from their doubts & criticism to protect our newly found creativity & direction. 

5. Go for a walk!!

Walking on the Cape to Cape track in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, Western Australia

"Walking allows us to be in our bodies and in the world without being made busy by them' Rebecca Solnit 

I cannot stress how important walking regularly has been for me in generating ideas, problem solving, reflecting, analysing, and in effect, dealing head on with everything that life throws at me on this mysterious journey of life, love and creating. 

I have learnt to simply & unceremoniously, put on my shoes, grab my keys and just step outside the front door when I'm spinning my wheels at my desk or when my thinking keeps sinking me deeper into a problem instead of out of it. I have learnt to block out a half day to to regularly go for a longer walk; to spend a few hours in a quiet nature track somewhere to get clarity and direction amongst trees and flowers.

For me staying motivated is a daily, long-term task that requires a concerted effort so that I can habitually make choices that support me every step of this journey and help me hold my vision &  create it. 

I hope you find something useful & encouraging in what I have shared and that it helps you stay on track!! If you want to stay connected to a group of like-minded people more informally join our Edgewalkers Facebook Group and support each other on this journey of creativity & self-expression.

HIKING MONGOLIA - DAY 5 - 8 days through the Tavan Bogd National Park

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What a sublime view to wake up to and what the photo cannot convey is the tranquil sound of the brook whispering beside us. That morning we saw Mongolian mountain goats (Capra sibirica) but were not quick enough to capture them on photos.  We captured this shot of a land squirrel though.

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Our lunch of two-minute noodles never tasted so good as today after the effort to reach the 3,400-metre pass, sitting on chunks of black and grey slate, the sharp chilly wind offsetting the bright, warm sun, surrounded by 360 degree views of the top of several peaks and smaller glaciers. See video below.

Before descending into the Khar Salaa valley, we were overtaken by a pack of speeding camels loaded with gear. This was a breathtaking and very dramatic section of walking, senses on overload from every direction. 

All around were mountain edges, ‘tobo’ shrines, the river flowing in the distance, glaciers, changing terrain & wildflowers.

As we descended to the valley, the activities of nomadic Tuvan herders captivated our attention while we rested and figured out a way to get across the large boggy stretch up ahead.

The end of summer signals a time to prepare for the harsh Mongolian winter. At the camp ground some nomads were occupied with fixing a truck, others were checking on the drying goat skins spread like offerings outside a ger.

Further afield, a team of men and women were finishing a day of grass cutting (using scythes) and packing it tight into back of a truck.

Tavan Bogd National Park - Nomads preparing for winter

Finally, two girls signalled to us to follow them and showed us a way to hop over the streams and waterways.

We slept in a nook on a hill between an rocky outcrop and the path, surrounded by marmot holes - we still did not get a good shot of them but it was another amazing night in the Mongolian wilderness.

Big thank you to Morgan Gillham for the exceptional photographs!

HIKING MONGOLIA - DAY 4 - 8 days through the Tavan Bogd National Park

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The river was loud and the ground was hard, but neither was loud enough or hard enough to stop us both from sleeping well. It was a magic spot with the river foaming white as it raced round the rocky bends, speeding past us roaring. I didn’t want to leave.

And yet, from the moment we set off, seen in this photograph above, walking was more than wonderful that whole day. I felt truly in a groove, comfortable with the weight of my pack, secure about food and water, I started to fully notice, enjoy and appreciate the flowers and insects, the different succulents sprouting out of rock crannies, the sounds of kites, hawks and eagles, the scurrying land squirrels...

We continued to gradually climb, the terrain a combination of arid gravelly paths over rocky outcrops, clear dirt tracks through patches of forest and bog like wetlands on the lower sections of the valley… fast moving streams cascaded down the side of the hills around us.

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We came across a tranquil lake where it would also have been magic to camp. Next time, I thought to myself.

Walking over the wetlands kept us alert, leaping over deceivingly shallow puddles to avoid drenching my boots.

LAT 48.947222 LONG 88.060556

Finally, we found the path we had to veer slightly east on and climbing got tougher and steeper, our breaths quickening as we ascended above the valley and up the mountain.  

Eventually, sweaty, puffing and feeling the weight or our packs we once again found ourselves walking close to the edge of a not so shallow, wide and fast-moving river which we knew we were going to have to cross. We tried to find stepping stones so that we did not have to get our feet wet but in the end we waded across boots around our necks, backpacks unclipped – the glacier water bitingly, painfully cold.

LAT 48.980000 LONG 88.135278

The sun was already going down when we got to a spot (above) and camped on the softest, warmest grass.