LIfe – Page 6 – neilhayeswrites

Confusion Reigns : Blog

September 28, 2019October 2, 2019 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Getting priorities right is a difficult thing when you have too many commitments, interests and intentions. Sometimes those thoughts competing for attention just cause a battle which cannot be won. What to do when they all seem to have a similar weight?

Sometimes it’s best to just take a holiday, just a short trip away from your brain. Forget about those conflicts and just put them to one side. Make your priority your sanity and then maybe when you return your clarity may have returned. Then you will be able to see the way forward.

Sporting Cultures Clash

August 31, 2019October 5, 2019 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

It is interesting when you have a family from a mixture of cultures. You ask yourself so many questions when your kids are young. How will they cope speaking two languages? Will they enjoy being bilingual? Could they possibly feel too different to those around them?

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C25k: Progress

June 9, 2018 neilhayeswrites1 Comment

First things first, no those aren’t my legs, maybe one day. For now I am into week 6 of the Couch to 5k training plan and I am loving it. Apart from a short break, due to a back spasm, it has all gone smoothly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been hard but I havn’t failed to complete any of the runs.

I’ve gone from struggling to run for 1 minute to being able to run nonstop for 20 minutes. My next run will be for 25 minutes, that will be a challenge. But the beauty of this plan is that I am sure I can do it. It seems to have formed a mindset where running is just putting one foot in front of the other. Simple as that.

The challenges will keep getting harder and eventually I will be trying to run faster, but for now it’s slow and steady wins the day. Overall, the sense of accomplishment is amazing. I’m built like a rugby player, and a retired one at that, not a runner. So no matter your size, this plan works. Why not give it a go?

Follow the flow

March 12, 2018 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Following the flow of a meandering river has to be one of the most enjoyable and relaxing ways to spend your time. You come across so much, if you are paying attention. Nature, wildlife, civilisation and, if you are unlucky, people. I’m joking a little bit about the last one, but my main purpose for a walk like this would always be peace and quiet.

Rivers change so much, around every curve there can be a new world to be discovered. Sometimes they are as straight as an arrow, running through the city, fortified against flooding. Then they can become a wilderness of tall grass, where childhoods are spent hiding and forts are constructed. Maybe they run through industry which seems a tragedy as an adult, but as a child was a wonderland of unknown and dangerous intrigue.

But, however you view them, they are a source of life. Veins and arteries, which cross our lands giving sustenance to all the organisms which depend upon them. So they must be cherished, cared for, and not allowed to deteriorate. For, if we are not careful, before long they may clog. And what were once healthy vessels with fresh water coursing through them, could become choked trickles struggling and shrinking.

So, as with the body, we must be careful what we put in, what we take out, and check regularly for any problems. Treatment must be quick and, hopefully, we will all live long and healthy lives together.

Coffs Harbour, Australia

February 5, 2017 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Located between Brisbane and Sydney, Coffs Harbour was my home for a few years. Having travelled through once, stayed for a few days and then moved on, I never would have thought that I would return and make it my home. My original impressions were that it was a pleasant, small town with beautiful nature. But I didn’t get to know it that well, it was too early in my trip and I was too keen to move on and discover more.

But return I did. I was staying in Newcastle when a job opportunity arose in Coffs Harbour. I remembered the town and jumped at the chance, I also needed the money. I worked and stayed at a backpackers hostel and got to know the town and its locals.

The town itself has, I believe, a perfect location. It is situated on the coast but backed by mountains which form part of the Great Dividing Range of Australia. So you live next to the beach but within thirty minutes you can be in the mountains looking at rainforest. And if you continue driving you will reach New England. With its rolling green hills and trout streams, you can see where it gets its name.

Coffs Harbour offers a lot for the traveller to do and experience. From visiting the rainforest to skydiving, swimming with dolphins or diving with sharks. For nine months of the year you can see whales breaching and jumping in the ocean. Or you can do many other activities with one of the companies offering fun and adventure. Liquid Assets is just one such company, and one I got to know well. Bob and Mal are top Aussies and always did their best for their customers. You could go whitewater rafting, surf rafting, sea kayaking or even do surfing lessons. So much to choose from.

My boss was another top bloke. Graeme made me welcome and dealt with everyone with fairness, an open heart and a smile. I have never been very good at expressing myself with spoken words, or the telephone, but I appreciate everything he did for me. If you read this Graeme, cheers for everything.

But the greatest memory of my time here has to be meeting my wife. I still remember standing outside the hostel, watching a gorgeous blonde walking across from the train station. I checked her in and starting planning how I could get to know her. We went for a bike ride and for a meal. After a long term and long distance relationship I moved to the Czech Republic. And the rest is history. Two kids and a happy life back in Europe, but it all started in sunny Coffs.