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Expedition Journals matching this list...

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Date	Category	Country
15/09/2011	Gear Reviews
Uni-Solar Uni-Pac10™ Watt Solar Panel by Kendon Glass
Thanks to the ‘solar solution’ provided by Uni-Solar Kendon can share the adventures of the Brink Expedition LIVE, no matter how remote his location.....
23/10/2010	Gear Reviews
Schwalbe Marathon XR tyres by Kendon Glass
The Schwalbe Marathon XR is the expedition tyre. After one year cycling with a heavy load along the world’s most derelict roads in Bolivia, Patagonia and the Amazon I am able to testify to the bulletproof construction of the Marathon XR....
16/12/2009		Australia
Opening Up by Kendon Glass
Fifteen days ago I cycled into a dead end town, end of the line, all passengers please vacate here. For weeks I had been heading south along vast expanses of beach on low tide...
21/10/2009	Gear Reviews	Australia
Wilderness Equipment Arrow Tent Series by Kendon Glass
Before departing on my circumnavigation I researched every Australian and New Zealand tent on the market. I required a sub 3-kilo tent that would perform staunchly in such diverse environments as the infamous winds of the Patagonian Plateau...
15/09/2009		Australia
Update from Gundi by Kendon Glass
Hey everyone, I have been cycling through some remote stretches lately, riding dusk till dawn in an attempt to reach a family reunion at Goondiwindi. I look forward to putting up some stories from the road over the next couple of months....
29/06/2009		Indonesia
Old Man Merapi by Kendon Glass
Progressing up the mountain side, the vivid green stairway is lost to the heavens at that same place where the mist shifts into volcanic discontent with every puff of old man Merapi’s pipe...
04/06/2009		Indonesia
The Cosmic Joke by Kendon Glass
Today I think I met the happiest man in the world. It was really humid and I was very hot. Seeing a bamboo lounge chair in the shade, I pulled up on a dime and was invited by an old man to take a rest...
22/05/2009		Indonesia
The Open Road by Kendon Glass
As a metaphor for life it’s hard to beat the open road. He’s like a good old mate, sharing the hardships with the gold, leading you into the world’s heart centre, spreading joy around every bend with typical life affirming spontaneity...
12/04/2009	Gear Reviews
Earth Sea Sky outdoor clothing by Kendon Glass
The Earth Sea Sky range has an item of clothing designed to meet every environment head on. The entire range that we carry performs admirably. I am yet to curse the cold, be soaked to the bone or find a loose thread. It is as simple as that.
15/02/2009	Gear Reviews
Mavic EX721 Extreme Mountain Biking Rims by Kendon Glass
The best rim to use for off road expeditions is an area where opinions vary wildly amongst cycle tourists. The Mavic EX721 is a solid rim specifically designed with the rigors of downhill-mountain biking in mind.
04/02/2009	Gear Reviews
Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus Panniers by Kendon Glass
There are few items that are exposed to the harsh environments on a daily basis like our Ortlieb panniers. Over the last year they have forded glacial rivers, withstood tropical downpours, baked in the extreme heat and dust of Bolivian dirt roads...
06/02/2008
Brink Expedition Update by Kendon Glass
Well look what the cat has dragged in. Hi to everyone out there in the big wide world. I have a fair bit of catching up to do. There has been some delays getting the website back online...
08/07/2007		Cambodia
Confrontation with a Machete by Kendon Glass
Through a half opened door a faulty TV transmits a subtle red glow across our path, aiding for a section as we negotiate the way forward. Distracted by what lay underfoot neither of us is aware that we are being closely followed...
02/07/2007		Thailand
Waiting Game by Kendon Glass
Still if at the end of this week I have not found a position to crew on a yacht I will return to the bicycle and make my way overland to Malaysia. However with the recent spate of bombings and killings in Thailand’s southern provinces...
19/06/2007		Cambodia
Distances Dissolved by Kendon Glass
Having cycled all the way from his home in Oslo, he had been travelling the line for two years. It just so happened that his finishing point was a few hundred kilometers down the track at Bangkok. His journey was all but finished...
11/06/2007		Cambodia
Khmer Rouge and Scorpion Stings by Kendon Glass
Nights on the strong man herbal wine with former members of the Khmer Rouge, scorpion stings, broken bicycle frames and machete bearing assailants in the muddy back streets of Poipet border town made Cambodia far from boring...
07/06/2007		Myanmar
Facade by Kendon Glass
An eager official waiting at the threshold spies me through the crowd; rubbing his hands together, he manufactures a smile and invites me in like I’m long lost kin. It’s all a facade. As it turns out, he’s not happy with my US currency...
27/05/2007		Thailand
Thailand Update by Kendon Glass
So much has happened over the years of this journey and there is much that has not made its way onto the web. On the road it has not always been easy to put pen to paper with the cold nights conducive to lulls in expression...
30/04/2007		Tibet
A Monks Life - Part 2 by Kendon Glass
I am lost in dreaming and unwittingly commit the day’s first faux pas, letting my bowl of yak butter tea grow cold. Thanks largely to the genorosity of my hosts by days end I would redeem myself and break every yak butter tea drinking record...
22/04/2007		Tibet
From Inside my Tent by Kendon Glass
It’s hard to believe that I am all alone on the Tibetan Plateau, on the rooftop of the world. Up here it’s so remote; the silence of night is disturbed only by the cold nocturnal winds, nature’s watchdog to tear through any facade, to keep it all real...
15/04/2007		Tibet
A Monks Life - Part 1 by Kendon Glass
I asked for the toilet and followed a monastic entourage of ten young monks out the front gate and into the night. What followed was one of those unforgettable moments in the life of a traveller...
10/04/2007		Tibet
Hard Seat – A Tibetan Train Journey by Kendon Glass
Curiosity gets the better of me and I press the red button. Without warning a loud guttural spray jets out of the side wall soaking the bum of my pants. With the intensity of a high pressure hose it suggests to me that 52 hours on the hard seat is...
02/04/2007		Nepal
Tough Call by Kendon Glass
I needed to focus on the option that would give me every chance of reaching South East Asia by bicycle. I couldn’t afford to be turned around by the Chinese. After Tibet there would be no more overland routes at my disposal...
29/03/2007		Nepal
The Purveyors by Kendon Glass
Working overtime to hold me with his big sorry brown eyes he repeats, “No money, no money” pointing to the grocer nearby. Right there was the sting. He ushers me into the store where he orders...
23/03/2007		Nepal
I'm Doing Fine by Kendon Glass
I had quickly learned that the bakeries heavily discount their remaining items after 9pm. The road makes life’s little luxuries even that much more enjoyable and at half price a Thamel cream bun can take you all the way to nirvana...
18/03/2007		Nepal
The Way Home - Part 3 by Kendon Glass
Groups of excited village children pushed me from behind propelling me towards the Friendship Bridge. I would crouch there for several hours, watching the detail, watching the Chinese authorities...
13/03/2007		Nepal
The Way Home - Part 2 by Kendon Glass
With visa length as the defining hurdle, my resulting investigations uncovered four options. Two of them were legal...
09/03/2007		Nepal
The Way Home - Part 1 by Kendon Glass
When I was a child, Kathmandu was one of those far flung stops that stoked the coals and spurred the imagination. Along with places like Timbuktu, Machu Pichu and the black stump, Kathmandu shared a veil of mystery...
05/03/2007		Nepal
Juniper Burning by Kendon Glass
Their entertaining banter toys with the foreigner, working you out, devising angles, dreaming up the sell. I round smoky corners to the offerings of juniper burning...
02/03/2007		Nepal
Annapurna by Kendon Glass
Exhilarating downhill’s into densely forested valleys would expose hidden nests of smoky shacks, a community of people moving about freely as in the brushed strokes of an effortless masterpiece...
19/02/2007		Nepal
Nature Speaks by Kendon Glass
Within 10 minutes I was surrounded by a swirling gale that whipped the undergrowth up into a frenzy. The power behind that storm was by any account awe inspiring. In the end I didn’t outrun it; perhaps I wouldn’t of even if I could of...
01/12/2006	Spirit of Cricket	Tibet
Backyard with Boonie by Kendon Glass
Hey Boonie, Just cycled up to Everest Base Camp. Bit hilly on the Tibetan side but well worth it. Spectacular!
18/11/2006		India
Goodbye India by Kendon Glass
For a moment there I lost myself in a trance, my focus blurring at that very moment the heavens' fullness turned to vapour, snuffing out the tarmac's searing edge. It was here that I made my peace with India...
14/11/2006		India
The Punjab Express by Kendon Glass
So the porter boards the train, sniffs you out, makes a beeline for your baggage and begins to disembark with it before a price for his services can be fixed. Presumably over time he has come to realise that he holds...
09/11/2006		India
Backtrack by Kendon Glass
The sun fell behind the Panaji river mouth, its last dusty rays setting a glow on the ship's navigation table where I had positioned myself to pore over my maps. With urgency I scribbled down distances using a blunt pencil on some scrap paper...
04/11/2006		India
Fortunate Run by Kendon Glass
In light of this I entertained the idea of heating up my porridge in the face of the world's tallest mountain and experiencing the richness and diversity of Tibetan culture. Backtracking the 3000 kilometres necessary to connect my route east...
30/10/2006		India
Acceptance by Kendon Glass
I can now clearly see how I have been unconsciously playing these contrasting relations out in my own life, whether it is inducing conflict and struggle or perpetuating an atmosphere of peace...
25/10/2006		India
The Wait by Kendon Glass
I entered the office as the plump Superintendent rang her tinny bell, prompting an elderly and fragile looking man to shuffle her way with tea and cookies. I began my story clearly and succinctly, my journey, my Skipper's medical emergency...
19/10/2006		Tibet
Update by Kendon Glass
Funnily enough, it is through a series of these so called ups and downs, through several quirks of fate, that I find myself back on my bicycle and cycling across the world’s highest plateau making my way to Mount Everest Base Camp....
19/07/2006		India
Stranded by Kendon Glass
It soon became evident that my comrade was far more skilled in the area of sensitive diplomacy than I would ever be, his talents laying specifically with those relations that are verging on insanity...
13/07/2006		India
The Long Way Home by Kendon Glass
In no time John had taken several hits before the cat, with arched back, edged away into the darkness between two stalls. In that moment I was totally oblivious to how profoundly & swiftly my own journey would become affected...
09/07/2006		India
Shiva the Destroyer by Kendon Glass
I cycled into god forsaken settlements shadowed by impressive sand storms. The horizons often closed in and turned bold, blackening out the canvas, rewinding the day back into the pre dawn. Villagers would scatter, fasten down their hatches...
26/06/2006		India
Ganesha is Kind by Kendon Glass
With 15km left to cycle on the sub-continent I am fully aware that along with the Capital of Iran this 2000 kilometres through India has been the most dangerous cycling I have done. Indian cities probably get the edge on Tehran in the danger stakes...
19/06/2006		India
Bearing Southward by Kendon Glass
While cycling to Mumbai through the heat of an Indian summer I knew that 6 weeks away blowing from the South West loomed a climate change of torrential proportions...
07/06/2006		India
Sailing for Malaysia? by Kendon Glass
I found India to be a land of extremes. I have never experienced anything like it. Up close it was intense, it was survival, it was primeval, it was vibrant, it was ruthless, nothing wasted, little to gain, every opportunity taken.
06/05/2006		India
Happy Holi by Kendon Glass
During morning tea I was taken down by a sniper positioned on a roof top and in the middle of lunch I surrendered to the masses as they joyfully went about covering me from head to toe in the colours of the rainbow...
02/05/2006		India
Decision Time by Kendon Glass
There are some logistic problems involved with travelling independently through Tibet. For one it is forbidden by the Chinese government. It would require me to cycle large sections of mountainous terrain by night, camping away from the roads...
28/04/2006		Iran
Leggings and Turtlenecks by Kendon Glass
Until then, with the sword of Islam precariously poised over my head I was prepared to cycle through the mid day heat of Iran in leggings and turtle necks...
24/04/2006		Iran
Crunch Time by Kendon Glass
As I reversed I saw a baseball bat sitting on the back seat. This left no doubt in my mind, these guys were dangerous. The important question remains. If they have a baseball bat do they have a gun...
20/04/2006		Iran
Coming a Cropper by Kendon Glass
Feeling weak and nauseous, perhaps in slight shock, I put my head back and closed my eyes. Several Iranians gathered around, insisting I come to see their factory medico and offering to take me onto hospital...
14/04/2006		Iran
Underground in Takistan by Kendon Glass
I looked around. Some of the men had full untrimmed beards in accordance with orthodox Islam. Was this a test? What year was it? Are the clerics still in power? Maybe it is a good vintage? I decided it foolish to say yes, but part of me was curious...
10/04/2006		Iran
Blessed Bombs by Kendon Glass
“Bush is coming. Bring the bombs. He will get rid of these hypocritical mullahs!” the man exploded as everyone present leant an ear but seemed to give little recognition to his outlandish sentiments. The streets in Iran were like that...
04/04/2006		Iran
Visa Indifference by Kendon Glass
I waited for an hour in a sometimes volatile queue, it taking only one man to jump queue for the entire system to break down. Welcome to queuing in Iran, very fragile, very fragile. Nosing my way to the counter in a photo finish...
30/03/2006		Iran
Cooking with Spirits by Kendon Glass
After three pharmacies and countless glares of distrust I had two litres of glistening ethyl alcohol [96%] double bagged and before me. I slowly edged towards the doorway to avoid further suspicion. The bottles clinked, I chuckled nervously...
26/03/2006		Iran
Red, White and Blue by Kendon Glass
“I lost many friends in that war, but I don’t hate the Iraqis. They are our brothers. If the Americans come here then I will kill them,” he said assuredly, jumping thoughts in what seemed to be a bitter reflection...
22/03/2006		Iran
Finger Licking Good by Kendon Glass
Now that’s interesting. So our Skippy has made it to Iran? How bizarre is that? Before I managed to digest the socio cultural impact that a crime fighting marsupial with extrasensory abilities could have on a generation of Iranians...
12/03/2006		Iran
The Darker Side by Kendon Glass
Due to our remote location I was not comfortable with this situation, however in such situations it is best not to show fear or uncertainty. Two of the men worked together to make me a coffee and partition me off a generous share of what I considered ...
03/03/2006		Iran
Iran Diaries by Kendon Glass
I would find myself inadvertently bunking down in an opium den or drinking tea with Russian truck drivers as they discussed the medicinal value of Vodka for a bad tooth ache, justifying in good conscience the contraband they were carrying...
26/02/2006		Turkey
Frontier Sharks by Kendon Glass
I joined a long queue of locals and waited for the customs officer to return my passport. The money peddlers hovered at a safe distance, nibbling at my patience like a flock of seagulls fighting over a dirty french fry...
19/02/2006		Turkey
Turkey says goodbye by Kendon Glass
I was in the extreme reaches of Turkey. Against a strong headwind I had inched my way to a chain of semi-trailers representing the border crossing to a foreign land. With the privilege afforded me on bicycle, I swerved in and out of the shadows cast by...
09/02/2006		Turkey
Perception by Kendon Glass
I woke to the sun rising brilliantly over Iran, over the king of beasts. It dawned on me then that I was entering one of the most exciting phases of my journey...
02/02/2006		Greece
Shock and Awe by Kendon Glass
We were reminded that for two days now, ‘US Warship 51’ had been policing this section of the Ionian Sea. The North Americans requests for compliance to other vessels have become a regular broadcast on the public VHF channel...
28/01/2006		Italy
Aeolian Triangle by Kendon Glass
Aeolus is said to have given the Greek hero Odysseus a leather bag filled with all the winds. Unfortunately, Odysseus’s crew opened it thinking that the bag contained gold, only to be swept briskly back...
24/01/2006		Italy
Nature's Classroom by Kendon Glass
There exists a peace inherent in this ketch’s motion, its hull cutting through miles of ocean plain, leaving the dark past in her wake. With the nothingness surrounding us, soon every sensation becomes acute...
20/01/2006		Italy
Length and Width by Kendon Glass
The new day dawns, and with it permeates a pure energy, the balance to life’s delicate equation. Light penetrates darkness and the melodies of migrating birds replace the uncertainty that came with last night’s stormy sea...
16/01/2006		Italy
Cagliari | Fire in the Sky by Kendon Glass
“Ye gaun oot furra wee swally laddy?”, says Alex nudging me as he jumps out of the shower. Not to be deceived by this ageing Scot, I knew exactly what a ‘wee swally’ meant...
12/01/2006		Spain
Man Overboard by Kendon Glass
We couldn’t afford to lose another man over. The heavy seas meant that access to the Skipper was limited and I had already made two failed solo attempts at getting him on board. His dead weight hung free of the yacht, the concave hull slippery as an eel..
08/01/2006		Spain
The Three Jocks by Kendon Glass
Amidst our protests he would climb the mast in heavy seas or he would do the unenviable task of unclogging the head (toilet), where the protests were replaced by a self-centred encouragement - "Excellent work Alex. Nice job"...
04/01/2006		Spain
Sailing for Sardinia by Kendon Glass
Alec's imperturbable manner was admirable, keeping a cool head is important at sea and his resolve gave me confidence that we would achieve our goal. When conducting first aid I advised him of his options. We could suture it there and then or ...
30/12/2005		Spain
Pulling Anchor by Kendon Glass
Ten minutes had passed, so I began to drop a few hints about my capacity for investing in Spanish real estate - "beers not cheap here are they?" ...
24/12/2005		Pakistan
Socks and Jocks by Kendon Glass
It seems the closer I get to home the harder the Christmas's are becoming. This will be my fourth consecutive Christmas on the road and I find myself longing for several leg ham and cheese 'toasties', preferably done under the grill...
18/12/2005	School Journals	Australia
Aussie Kids deliver the Spirit of Cricket by Ben Glass
Late last year grade 6 students from St. Ignatius Primary School located in Toowong,  Brisbane, Australia presented Brink with a cheque for $175 to help purchase cricket equipment for an Arawak Indian community met during the South American leg...
14/12/2005		Pakistan
Cervantes and the Road by Kendon Glass
The road, wrote Cervantes, "is always better than the inn." Standing on the highest pass of the journey at 4730 metres one had to wonder what he was thinking, I couldn't remember the last time I had been so cold...
05/12/2005		Pakistan
Old World Leishmaniasis by Kendon Glass
These sorts of requests, deemed unusual in the West, are met without hesitation in Pakistan. It is evident from my telephone conversation that next time I may be able to order some much needed underwear with my chicken Karahi...
09/11/2005		Kyrgyzstan
Sary Tash and About by Kendon Glass
I sank into a lifeless mattress, a wafer thin wall separating a blaring television from the head of my bed, the Russian soapie muffling a child's screams for attention. The Kygryz man kept the conversation to a bare minimum, giving me a quick fire...
08/11/2005		Australia
And the Earth Charter Award goes to... by Louise Erbacher
My experiences with Brink over the last few years have helped me to realise that nothing is ever certain and even in the last hour, things can still change - DRAMATICALLY - but isn't that what makes life exciting?
03/11/2005	School Journals	China
Satellite Call - Our Lady of the Rosary, Kenmore by Kendon Glass
The Year 5 Students from Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School, Kenmore, Australia, chat with Kendon via the satellite phone from Kashgar in NW China.
28/09/2005		Kyrgyzstan
Nomad by Kendon Glass
My baggage is now the lightest it has been in 3 years and breaking the elusive 40 kg barrier. Yesterday I analysed every single item, the cricket bat weighing in at a privileged 1.5kg.
16/09/2005		Uzbekistan
Silk Road by Kendon Glass
A quick summary of recent events would include being approached by con men acting as police and demanding to see my passport. On one occasion I only managed to cycle off after being forcibly patted down...
16/08/2005		Turkey
Across the Threshold by Kendon Glass
Working your way up to a high pass you are never really sure what the reward is going to be. I stopped on the crest, feeling my heart rate drop slowly as I observed the terrain falling away from me. The sun was 'half to go' and if it had not been for...
24/07/2005		Turkey
First Days at Gallipoli by Kendon Glass
"If you go that way you will most probably die like your grandfathers...", he paused for effect as I witnessed the inevitable with my own eyes. I felt an element of Turkish pride cutting me down to size. Touché old man, touché...
18/07/2005		Turkey
Adventure by Kendon Glass
The tarmac reflects a mean heat, my water bottle is sitting hot, come lunch it will make for a nice brew. The petrol stations offer a welcome reprieve from the long stretches of lonely highway. "Sit down my friend, from where you come?" Wiping my brow...
04/07/2005		Turkey
No Exception by Kendon Glass
We move inside and I refuse outright to take the youngest brother's bed. I see very quickly that I have made the family feel uncomfortable. I remember the Islam philosophies on hospitality and their faith's abundant traditions...
26/06/2005		Turkey
Cycling through Turkey by Kendon Glass
I was fully expecting lengthy delays with the processing of my Iranian visa so it was no surprise that it has taken this long. The good news is that my entry into Iran has been approved, all be it only for just 21 days...
17/06/2005		Turkey
Laptop Lifeline by Kendon Glass
Considering the foundation that has been laid over the last three years to include Australian schools in this journey, the current situation is a rather unfortunate one. If you are aware of an individual, organisation or company that may consider...
29/05/2005		Spain
Olive Branch by Kendon Glass
Here the wind travels through the ancient olive groves that lend their seed from further east, whispering secrets held long before the poetry of blind men. I am then reminded that the Olive Tree was the symbol of peace and fecundity in ancient Greece.
25/05/2005	School Journals	Spain
Blanquerna!! by Kendon Glass
To the smiling children of CP Blanquerna, Es Pont d'Inca (Mallorca) I would like to say a big thank you for making me feel so welcome. Below are the results of your questionnaire prepared by Guiem.
21/05/2005		Spain
Meeting Guiem by Kendon Glass
Guiem stood waiting in front of the church with his tartan umbrella stemming the flow overhead. “Hola Guiem”, I said. “Ahh, so you got it right. You pronounced my name correctly. Not very often do people from abroad do that.”
17/05/2005		Spain
Flashback - More on Freud... by Kendon Glass
It was as though we had been given a tranquiliser of sheer disbelief. The moment would have taken a Bull Elephant down to its knees. We were stunned. Beaten, we withdrew into the recesses of the sofa, with little hope, delivering a final involuntary plea.
13/05/2005		Spain
Weighed Down by Kindness by Kendon Glass
When he questioned me I simply explained that I was weighed down by Mallorcan hospitality – a 10 kilogram duffle bag of meats, cheeses, breads and home made jams held in place precariously on the rear rack by a couple of failing bunji cords.
07/05/2005		Spain
In Search of Water by Kendon Glass
Eyeing an outcrop of white washed houses on the coastal plain below I made plans to ask the inhabitants for two litres of water that would see me through the night.
18/04/2005		Spain
Setting Sail to the Orient by Kendon Glass
I have been very fortunate with the way recent events have unfurled and tomorrow I will be setting sail for Turkey from the shores of Spain. Over the next three weeks, I will be conducting satellite voice calls with several schools
07/04/2005	Spirit of Cricket	Bolivia
Gimme - A Blast from the Past by Kendon Glass
Blast from the Past - We arrived overland into Bolivia at the onset of a revolution which lasted three weeks and resulted in a change of Presidency after much violent protest...
02/04/2005		Spain
The King's Path by Kendon Glass
The terrain became more and more striking as I descended further and further into the earth’s fissure. I gained speed with the loss of altitude, the cliff faces I saw from a distance were now towering above me, rays of the sun momentarily breaking...
16/03/2005		Spain
Beeline for Mallorca by Kendon Glass
I am going to head back to the congested coast line where it is 8 to 10 degrees warmer, less rain and more shelters, although it is going to be harder to stay out of sight wild camping on round-a-bouts...
09/03/2005		Spain
Misty Hollow by Kendon Glass
I swear that Yoshi was more interested in zooming in on my componentry and load carrying systems than capturing me in my final stage, King of the Mountain pose...
05/03/2005		Spain
The Food Chain by Kendon Glass
Rubbing my eyes under weighted mist and dreary moon I could not see, but only hear the nervous rattle of lamb's bells off in the sleepy distance...
03/03/2005	Spirit of Cricket	Venezuela
Daniel's Challenge - Spirit of Cricket Initiative by Daniel from Km46
But most of all we brought cricket to this jungle, we made cricket bat out of corkwood tree, pads out of cardboard boxes and we used baseballs. Huge crowds came to see us play...
27/02/2005		Spain
The Simple Things by Kendon Glass
I am in a camping site tonight because I started to smell myself on the uphill surges. Have just finished my prayer vigil in front of a 21st Century Solar Rheem shrine, two massive hot water towers...
23/02/2005		Spain
Hitting the Frog and Toad by Kendon Glass
The pollution here is in your face. Depending on the direction of the wind one has to batten down the hatches and spray some deodoriser around before taking dinner onboard...
17/02/2005		Spain
The Rock by Kendon Glass
Every night for the past two weeks I have refrained from setting the alarm clock secure in the knowledge that come sun up, a set of afterburning turbofan engines would rock me from my tranquil slumber...
13/02/2005		Spain
Taking Stock by Kendon Glass
As a result I am looking at a 500€ (AUD $800) sting for a complete overhaul. It is on days like these that I have premonitions of singing for my supper in downtown Bangkok...
09/02/2005		Spain
Trif, Glen and Keith – The Kiwi mates by Kendon Glass
I just want to give you a rundown of some of the characters I met in Gibraltar. I really enjoyed rubbing shoulders with some lads from the Southern Hemisphere for the first time in a while...
06/02/2005		Atlantic Ocean
Expect the Unexpected by Kendon Glass
Either way my aspirations of arriving in Turkey before the onset of winter are now quashed. As it has turned out, crossing the Atlantic under sail was far more challenging and unpredictable than I had the capacity to imagine from the kitchen table in 2002
04/02/2005	Spirit of Cricket	Spain
Backyard with Boonie - On European Soil by Kendon Glass
The kids in Brazil have a similar street game to back yard cricket called Beté. They are no strangers to utilising a ripe mango or taping up a pair of socks or jocks in ‘lecky’ tape when short of a tennis ball.
03/02/2005		Atlantic Ocean
Night Watch by Kendon Glass
On my own the world seemed so much bigger and I enjoyed the responsibility of navigating safely through a stretch of the Atlantic that saw an increasing amount of traffic...
31/01/2005		Atlantic Ocean
Talking Babel by Kendon Glass
The many items of concern were given the single label of ‘veritable importance’ by the Captain and in the spirit of our new tongue Didier unwittingly named his favourite Australian cuisine the ‘Wobbaly Omlete’ after the marsupial...
11/01/2005		Atlantic Ocean
The French Connection by Kendon Glass
When they told me that they had just arrived alongside another boat that was heading for Turkey and looking for crew I cautiously wondered if I could just be that lucky?
08/01/2005		Atlantic Ocean
Shoving Off by Kendon Glass
We have made the decision for Dan to take the berth and in a quick turn of events he will be leaving tomorrow. It is going to be strange without my good mate but I look forward to meeting up at some point soon...
05/01/2005		Atlantic Ocean
Horta Marina Gallery by Kendon Glass
Our opportunities to depart this island have been few and far between so we are sure that while the window is open one of us should make tracks for the mainland...
02/01/2005		Atlantic Ocean
Mary and the Hidden Treasure by Kendon Glass
Around the island of Faial exisits a large number of volcanic caverns that pirates of the high seas purportedly used to stash their bounty. There is also a nice harboured beach called Baia Do Porto Pim...
30/12/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Camping on Burnt Rock by Kendon Glass
Camping atop a coastal headland roughly translated as 'burnt rock' has given us a nice view across the water to Pico summit and down onto the lit Horta Marina. This vantage point is also the perfect place to observe yacht numbers...
17/12/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Calderas by Kendon Glass
This crater is 2 kilometres in diameter with a perimeter of 7 kilometres. At regular intervals I could see the cold wind currents stirring mist in the belly of the crater...
04/12/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Horta Marina - Land Legs by Kendon Glass
On the turn of the first hour my land legs evaded me momentarily as I stepped forward unsurely towards the bathroom, the ground swaying where the bough used to be...
24/11/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 40 by Kendon Glass
After a protracted ocean leg, Pico Island of the Azores volcanic archipelago was really something to behold in the soft morning light.
19/11/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 39 by Kendon Glass
I may have been flirting with insanity as I proudly acknowledged my insightful discovery, but escapism in the form of a jam jar and spoon proved to be a blessing that provided me with hours of amusement.
15/11/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 38 by Kendon Glass
It was a very average culinary display on my behalf, which from a positive viewpoint left the majority to be consumed by my rather impartial stomach.
11/11/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 37 by Kendon Glass
What happened next balanced the equation that equalled a challenging and insightful five weeks at sea. Scrambling over winch and halyard to reach the stern, I swung wildly on the rear mainstay and exclaimed loudly to this giant of the sea...
07/11/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 36 by Kendon Glass
I have noticed an increase in the amount of rubbish in the water where we are now. The regularity of rubbish passing close to the boat is a little concerning considering how expansive the Atlantic Ocean is.
27/10/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 35 by
It has been a week without wind and plenty has gone wrong in this time. Just as on land, being immobilised in the face of adversity has exacerbated things. We are in the middle of the famed "Horse Latitudes"
23/10/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 34 by Kendon Glass
It's no excuse but maybe that’s what happens when you have spent a long time in trying conditions with the same group of people...
19/10/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 33 by Kendon Glass
Dan and I looked at each other through a haze of smoke, we shook our heads in ‘utter belief’ and ‘non amazement’ that the fire extinguisher had failed its vital mission. During this moment I felt more vulnerable...
15/10/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 31 to Day 32 by Kendon Glass
It was a joyous occasion when for the first time on the trip I tuned into the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The signal was shared with some Chinese lounge music but it didn’t matter.
10/10/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 30 by Kendon Glass
Days were then spent in mercurial planning, observing the little incidentals, the loss of appetite and the look of benign satisfaction on the faces of the other crew. Our first reconnaissance mission "Operation Dark Chocolate - Sweet Vengeance" began...
05/10/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 29 by Kendon Glass
Atlantic Ocean...Fan belt has gone. Tried to build one out of rope then Velcro. Nothing has held. Six hours in the engine room trying to keep the engine running. The engine battery finally wouldn’t start the engine anymore.
29/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 28 by Kendon Glass
Atlantic Ocean...Bathing off the back of the boat with a bucket into the deep blue has left me salted and dried. As with the treated meats in the galley at least this way I am guaranteed preservation for the majority of the voyage.
27/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 27 by Kendon Glass
Atlantic Ocean...Deep down I feel that I will take quite a bit from this intense time at sea. Although the current situation is inviting blame, I know I should do better than merely judge...
23/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 26 by Kendon Glass
Somehow the light-hearted theatre of me shovelling coal and slaving away in the galley created a spiritually neurotic frequency that bounced off the radar reflector, spiked the flaccid main sail and reverberated through the speakers before finally ...
20/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 25 by Kendon Glass
On his watch Dan had taken to humming the theme song from Gilligan’s Island. Preventative action to save us from the same fate as the crew of this legendary sitcom...
16/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 21 to Day 22 by Kendon Glass
I have to admit I felt a bit strange holding hands in a circle and praying to a bird. I didn’t want to tilt the boat by non-participation and as I had learnt at an early stage...
13/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 20 by Kendon Glass
The brand name of his preferred rum was simply ‘51’ and I wondered if this was the average Brazilian life expectancy for those who partook in its consumption. And using the same bulletproof logic...
08/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing Day 19 - Follow Your Bliss by Kendon Glass
The realisation tonight was that I had made it. I was in the thick of adventure cutting my way across the Atlantic the hard way. One year off the beaten track living arduously...
06/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 16 to Day 18 by Kendon Glass
On night watch standing at the cockpit helm a flying fish clipped the back of my head from the starboard side and exited the netting on the port side...
04/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 13 to Day 15 by Kendon Glass
Then momentarily, with its barbed tentacles drooping over the side it took the form of a monster clinging to the aft side and heading for the dark impenetrable depths. The lighting shifted and...
02/09/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 11 to Day 12 by Kendon Glass
The Petrel hovered in time over the rear mainstay, angling in and out of the moons light. I instinctively held out the palm of my hand to offer assistance and...
31/08/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 6 to Day 10 by Kendon Glass
Today I performed ballet to Peter Gabriel’s ‘Sledge Hammer’ in my Earth Sea Sky skintight thermals. It was an apt choice of song for my clumsy pirouette on tipsy toes.
25/08/2004		Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Crossing - Day 1 to Day 5 by Kendon Glass
I came around in time to poke my head up from the hatch to see the sun rising through a split Genoa (sail). That can't be good. Apparently a freak Force 6 wind hit us and the crew didn't haul it down in time. A bit concerning that the first big winds...
10/08/2004		Brazil
Bike Bits by Kendon Glass
We are possibly looking at a major turning point in the expedition. Our bikes are, as of today, in over 100 pieces and it is quite possible that we wont remember how to put them back together. We will worry about that when it comes to it hopefully on the
03/08/2004		Brazil
Argus & the Azores by Kendon Glass
Argus wore a trademark doughy grin holding his head slightly tilted. I assumed from his body language that he was having some difficulty comprehending the situation, however as he eyed the gap in the fence it was I who was about to drop the ball....
01/08/2004	Gear Reviews
A Full Kit List by Kendon Glass
A major consideration for our expedition is the size and weight of the equipment we will carry, and obviously we want to minimize both.
21/07/2004		Brazil
Arriving in Jacare by Kendon Glass
For the Isles of Azores we are asailing...
19/07/2004		Brazil
Ludo the Fast-talking Frenchman by Kendon Glass
He tilted his head back, grinning, and clicked his fingers in quick succession - "Ah yes, this is Brazil man"...
30/06/2004		Brazil
Serenity in Serrambi by Kendon Glass
Soaking up the sun, sand and surf...
17/06/2004		Brazil
Shotgun! by Kendon Glass
BANG! A shotgun blast echoed through the valley and the hounds went crazy...
13/06/2004		Brazil
Decision Time - The Search for a Yacht by Kendon Glass
Since Christmas we have been visiting marinas lining the South American East coast searching for a yacht heading North...
07/06/2004		Brazil
Tarantula Country by Kendon Glass
Here's one for all the arachno-freaks out there...
02/06/2004		Brazil
Bye Salvador by Kendon Glass
On the road again and heading further north...
15/05/2004		Brazil
Boca Coppas by Kendon Glass
The boys from Brazil are back on-line!
05/05/2004	School Journals	Australia
Expedition Update - May 2004 by Ben Glass
Ben is back in Australia, but Kendon and Dan are cycling up the coast of Brazil, searching for a yacht to take them across the Atlantic Ocean. The last mail was from a place called Recife.
05/05/2004		Australia
The Late Mail by Ben Glass
Latest news and special announcements...
27/04/2004		Brazil
A very warm breakfast by Ben Glass
The journey south continues...
13/04/2004	School Journals	Brazil
Exploring the Amazon - WITH VIDEO!! by Ben Glass
WITH VIDEO!! In this journal we go exploring the Amazon jungle and one of its rivers with Rufino, a local indigenous man.
13/04/2004		Brazil
Jungle Boogie by Ben Glass
The hunt is on, with Rufino...
07/04/2004		Brazil
Big fish, plenty get! - Part 2 by Ben Glass
More from the river...
30/03/2004		Brazil
Big Fish, Plenty Get! - Part 1 by Ben Glass
...the line was zig-zagging furiously against the current, and I was holding on tight at the other end...
26/03/2004		Brazil
Leaving Boa Vista - Part 2 by Ben Glass
Kicking back on the banks of the Branco...
22/03/2004		Brazil
Leaving Boa Vista by Ben Glass
The final exit from Boa Vista...
15/03/2004	School Journals	Brazil
Nova Esperanca by Ben Glass
Nova Esperanca is a community project assisting poorer indigenous villages with sustainable development and wealth creation.
15/03/2004		Brazil
Nova Esperança Part 2 by Ben Glass
Conrad pointed out to us the ancient carvings on these rocks, believed to be from a time before the Wapixiana, Macuxi and Taurepang people...
11/03/2004		Brazil
Nova Esperança by Ben Glass
The main objective for the group is to develop alternative projects for generating income capable of improving the current situation of indigenous families in the region...
08/03/2004		Brazil
The Whale - Part 3 by Ben Glass
More on "the whale"
04/03/2004		Brazil
The Whale - Part 2 by Ben Glass
...the whale wasn't deterred by our inability to comprehend, and he powered on, talking for the majority of the time, only stopping for intervals of shared spontaneous laughter...
01/03/2004		Brazil
The Whale - Part 1 by Ben Glass
I'd say the whale was around his mid-fifties. He had the look of someone who had worked hard in their life, and possibly played hard too. And if I had to take another guess I'd say he once was a Garimpeiro...
20/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Head torches by Kendon Glass
It actually feels more secure, balanced and comfortable than any headlight I have worn with the battery case in the back. The style of inset push button control ensures that the torch is never accidentally turned on in my panniers.
19/02/2004	Gear Reviews	Australia
Jackie Howe & Double Plugs by Kendon Glass
Using manual blades in an extraordinary display of strength and stamina, Jackie Howe shore a tally of 321 sheep in front of a small gathering of farmers, shearers and tar boys. It took him only 7 hours and 40 minutes. This record still stands today...
18/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Shakespeare Fishing Rod by Kendon Glass
I didn’t leave Australia with a fishing rod. After a chance meeting in Patagonia (the other Great Southern Land) with an Aussie Barramundi fisherman from Darwin I became acutely aware of the inherent advantages... carrying a telescopic fishing pole
16/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Pelican Cases by
How do you ensure that thousands of dollars worth of electrical equipment will be free from moisture in the back waters of the Amazon, while sailing across the Atlantic...
14/02/2004	Gear Reviews
MSR XGK Expedition Stove vs Trangier by Kendon Glass
The irrefutable strength of the XGK is that in extreme and violent conditions adverse to human survival this stove could save your life. Therefore the MSR XGK gets the nod for extended trips..
12/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Motorola Satellite Phone 9505 by Kendon Glass
It seems quite robust, as it has had its fair share of shocks. It is data capable, that is, this satellite phone acts as a modem to transmit e-mails...
11/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Katadyn Combi Water Filter by Kendon Glass
The Katadyn Combi turns bacterially contaminated water into fresh drinking water. Neither boiling the water or adding chemical additives is required...
10/02/2004	Gear Reviews
MSR DromLite Dromedary Bags by Kendon Glass
A slow but steady leak from the screw on mouthpiece has eventuated with every MSR Water Bladder. We permanently glued the mouthpieces on several bladders with success but this limited their use...
07/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Kookaburra Kahuna Predator cricket bat by Kendon Glass
Among other things our cricket bat has served as a bike stand, fire stoker, emergency tent pole and living up to its name the Predator has also served as a handy visual deterrent.
06/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Tubus Racks by Kendon Glass
Tubus racks are going to save you a lot of heartache. The carrying system is quite often the cycle tourist’s Achilles heel, but it doesn’t have to be.
05/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Shimano XT Range by
Shimano’s major appeal for bicycle tourists lies in its guaranteed quality and the accessibility of replacement parts worldwide.
02/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Fuji FinePix S602Zoom Digital Camera by Kendon Glass
On an expedition of this length, gear maintenance is always going to be of a major concern. Those items that contain moving electrical parts are usually the first to go..
01/02/2004	Gear Reviews
Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC H3970 by Kendon Glass
In a feat of technology that still amazes me the iPAQ Pocket PC is fully powered by the sun using a 10-Watt solar panel. With the expansion pack battery charged it provides 12 hours of data entry that allows me to write up the expeditions journals at will
25/01/2004		Brazil
Darkness on the Horizon - Part 1 by Kendon Glass
We appreciated that our clinical eating displays over the last month could be difficult for him to come to terms with, but this was comical…the Federal Police?
03/01/2004		Brazil
Red Beans and Rice by Ben Glass
Farinha is a food commonly produced and consumed by indigenous people of the region...
21/11/2003		Venezuela
Revolucion! by Kendon Glass
In a deadly past time the people of the 'Barrios' (slums) illegally milk power off the mains. It is ironic that from where I sit this provides a spectacular display of twinkling Christmas lights in the eastern valleys.
17/11/2003		Brazil
It's Dengue by Kendon Glass
As the medico nodded pensively, he searched for the following two words in English, "he dengue"...Roberto was shocked but I wasn’t. I felt like I had just been hit by a "carga larga", the Brazilian version of the Australian road train.
12/11/2003		Brazil
Plasmodium by Kendon Glass
Periodic rainfall is welcomed as a deterrent, but the reprieve is brief. Even when cycling in torrential downpours mosquitoes use the undersides of our forearms as landing pads to escape the storm.
11/11/2003	Interviews	Brazil
Chief & Shaman - Message to the Children Interview Part 5 by Kendon Glass
Nowadays it is very important for you all to listen to our words so that you can think about making an alliance between Yanomami children and children from the city - to be friends, to fight together, to defend our land, to defend our planet for everyone.
10/11/2003	Interviews	Brazil
Davi Kopenawa - Shamaniam - Interview Part 4 by Kendon Glass
With the universe, you all say that the earth is round, for us it isn't. The earth has feet so it won't fall. If we don't have strong Shaman Indians the world will be destroyed...
09/11/2003	Interviews	Brazil
Davi Kopenawa - Yanomami Chief - Interview Part 3 by Kendon Glass
They brought destruction from Europe, they brought equipment from Europe that destroyed the environment when they arrived in Brazil, their eyes grew like the moon because there saw a lot of natural resources. They found that this was a place where...
08/11/2003	Interviews	Brazil
Davi Kopenawa - Yanomami Chief - Interview Part 2 by Kendon Glass
The earth has feet so it won't fall. It is important for our children to learn Shaman and it is also important for white people's kids, so that they can learn to respect nature, defend our land, our nature, our rivers. Especially the water, because....
05/11/2003	Interviews	Brazil
Davi Kopenawa - Yanomami Chief - Interview Part 1 by Kendon Glass
"The Yanomami nation was born here, we have lived here for many years, we belong to this land."
02/11/2003		Brazil
The Oils Count by Ben Glass
Having spent many of our childhood days with "Diesel and Dust" cranked on the record player, we are no doubt stoked to have Peter on board as our patron...
29/10/2003		Brazil
Hotel Cinco Lula by Kendon Glass
Major areas of concern include a severe inhibiting back pain and the daily onset of fever, nausea, headache and burning eyes on dusk....
26/10/2003		Brazil
Lassitude and Longitude by Ben Glass
In this part of the world, tropical mosquito borne diseases are a constant health threat, and have the potential to bring your 'journey' to a premature end...
23/10/2003	Interviews	Australia
The Brink Team - Questions and Answers by Kendon Glass
Click on the "Questions and Answers" link above to get the lowdown on the Brink Expedition!
20/10/2003		Brazil
Davi, Live in Boa Vista! by Ben Glass
Our reasons for being in Boa Vista weren't related solely to adventure or illness. Whilst there we had a mission to complete that was of the educational kind. To supplement the Brink SOSE module on Indigenous peoples of the Americas....
20/10/2003		Argentina
The Mighty Guanacos by Ben Glass
We hadn't touched a footy for a year, we were both coincedently struggling with infected cuts, and our lungs burned with even the thought of running rugby at high altitude..
16/10/2003		Brazil
Brazil's tasty goodness by Ben Glass
I would describe it best as an ice cold liquid snickers bar with a strong but refreshing fruity bite...
12/10/2003		Brazil
Arriving in Boa Vista by Ben Glass
The town we were cycling into was Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state and home to about 200 000 people...
02/10/2003		Brazil
Brazil at last, oh Brazil at last! by Ben Glass
As we entered into our first Brazilian town the change in the vibe of the people was instantly noticeable...
28/09/2003		Venezuela
The Tommy Town Chow Down by Ben Glass
With wall murals of big chubby smiling buddhas and framed posters of the one and only Bruce Lee "Tommy Town" was like a breath of fresh air...
24/09/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Argentina
Backyard with Boonie - High Alititude Rugby by Kendon Glass
Soon as they found out we were Aussies, “The Guanacos”, Argentina’s youngest and Northern most rugby club roped us in for a training session that no amount of km’s on the tredlies could prepare us for...
24/09/2003	School Journals	Venezuela
Cycling the Gran Sabana - WITH VIDEO!! by Ben Glass
...a blink of an eye and we had been hit with a torrential bucketing...
20/09/2003	Interviews	Venezuela
Daniel Transcript from Video - Part 4 by Ben Glass
We are healthy and our children are doing very well in school so it forced her to think that the human race can survive on the simple things of life not just the great things...
16/09/2003	Interviews	Venezuela
Daniel Transcript from Video - Part 3 by Ben Glass
Books can help us much more so we plead with you to send books that can help our children - history, science, maths, physics, geography...
14/09/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Venezuela
The Spirit of Cricket in Action by
He was the first person in 1600km to speak English to us and the first person in South America to know what a cricket bat was. This enigma left us somewhat bewildered...
12/09/2003		Venezuela
Fire in the sky by Ben Glass
A night storm in the Sabana...
08/09/2003		Venezuela
Hammock Privileges (sick in 46) by Ben Glass
The young lads in the village were interested in a few of the tools in our kit eg solar panels, our Katadyn water filter, camp stove etc...
04/09/2003	Interviews	Venezuela
Daniel Transcript from Video - Part 2 by Ben Glass
And what we are doing now, starting from this evening is forming a community sports club because in this little village here with just 17 families we have champions...
01/09/2003	Interviews	Venezuela
Daniel Transcript from Video - Part 1 by Ben Glass
The first of four transcripts of a video interview conducted with Daniel, an Arawak Indian elder from San Flaviano(Km 46). My tribe, if you understand our language you can understand the Japanese language...
30/08/2003	School Journals	Venezuela
San Flaviano - School Room by Ben Glass
There are about 20 children of mixed ages in San Flaviano. If you can help the community by providing books, or money to buy books contact us via the Brink website and we will put you in touch.
28/08/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Venezuela
Field of Dreams by Ben Glass
At that precise moment of thought an amazing thing happened. The voice came. It was whisper soft but seemed to carry over the entire jungle for everyone and everything to hear...
24/08/2003		Venezuela
San Flaviano by Ben Glass
The children here always, and I mean ALWAYS had smiles on their faces. Their contentment and positive well-being was obvious and infectious and they displayed towards us a totally respectful, somewhat selfless behaviour....
24/08/2003		Bolivia
Tomas Katari by Ben Glass
Whilst we have been stuck here in Sucre we've decided to get out and learn as much as we can about local life.
20/08/2003		Venezuela
Late in the day, high in the sky. by Ben Glass
At an altitude of 1440 metres the Gran Sabana transported us instantly to another world...
20/08/2003		Bolivia
Stuck in Sucre by Ben Glass
We are up to our necks in it at the moment in Bolivia looking for a smart escape south to Chile or Argentina. The country has come to a standstill with massive civilian protests and union blockades occuring in the major cities...
14/08/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Venezuela
High Voltage Cricket in Santa Rosa by Ben Glass
The porridge hadn't even finished coagulating and we'd made first contact with three little dark-skinned, rosey-cheeked cherubs...
11/08/2003		Venezuela
I spy a butterfly by Ben Glass
There is one butterfly in particular that is extremely beautiful, but its beauty is matched by an elusive nature and a shyness for the camera lens...
08/08/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Barbados
Who´s Crackin? Part 2 by Ben Glass
Under his musician psuedonym 'Ancient Vivlion' he sang some of his tunes for us right there on the beach. It was amazing - his voice was sweet and his passion for his music was...
07/08/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Bolivia
Backyard with Boonie - Cricket in the Jungle by Kendon Glass
G’day Boonie, we happened upon a cricket pitch in the middle of the Venezuelan jungle curated by Arawak Indians who relocated from the Guyanese mountains. Unbelievable encounter. Now in the Bolivian Andes and...
05/08/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Barbados
Who´s Crackin? Part 1 by Ben Glass
Here´s one from the archives for all you cricketing fans and lovers of the Caribbean.
28/07/2003		Venezuela
The Circus is in Town by Kendon Glass
The Cadillac cruised past us and slowly pulled over to the side of the road some 30 metres ahead. As we had done on several occasions before, Ben and I stopped dead in our tracks to wait for the script to unravel....
25/07/2003		Venezuela
El Tigre Part 2 by Ben Glass
...the generosity, humour, patience and care shown for us by everyone was very humbling, epitomised particularly by Richard, the kindest of spirits...
22/07/2003		Venezuela
El Tigre Part 1 by Ben Glass
By the time we eventually rolled into 'tiger' we were well in need of some recuperation - ideally a shower, a good sleep and some unlimited access to all five food groups was what we were after...
09/07/2003		Venezuela
Franciscan Hospitality by Kendon Glass
Well it doesn't get much better than this. Tired, smelly, unshaven and a tad dehydrated Ben and I willingly fell into the loving caring arms of the Franciscan sanctuary in El Tigre...
06/07/2003		Venezuela
Curfews in Barcelona by Kendon Glass
We turned and he simply put his finger under his right eye and pulled down the skin. "I reckon our amigo over there might be telling us to watch out." Turns out this is a well known and regularly used warning in Venezuela…useful too...
04/07/2003		Venezuela
Surviving the Road by Kendon Glass
Venezuela's recent civil unrest including military coupes, riots and street shootings have caused it to be pretty low on the tourists 'must do' list of countries...
02/07/2003		Venezuela
Diary excerpt Part 2 by Kendon Glass
We took a deep breath as he turned to the dogs and told them in a harsh manner that it was about time they decided to call it a night...it was a gigantic ditto from the smelly gringos hiding in the plantation...
29/06/2003		Venezuela
Diary excerpt Part 1 by Kendon Glass
What happened next caused us to morph into the shadows. Roused by the relentless barking the plantation owner passed us 10 metres away sweeping his torch and surveying the surrounding area.....
26/06/2003		Venezuela
Veil of Darkness by Kendon Glass
From the 20km mark we were assured at regular intervals that it was only a few kilometers further. It ended up being a sapping 50km ordeal…the last 20km without water and taking directions with a grain of salt. Thirsty work...
24/06/2003		Venezuela
Fantasy Island by Kendon Glass
Off in the distance the darkness had combined with the smoke and ambient moon light to give the effect of a lowland tropical mist. With orange embers peeking through the jungle walls we concentrated intensely on the perimeters of the road and descended ra
22/06/2003		Venezuela
With the skin on? by Kendon Glass
A policeman gave me someone else’s mango while he ate another with the skin on. What to do? Is this a sign of man hood in Venezuela? A test? I eat kiwi fruit with the skin on, but Mango....impossible.
20/06/2003		Venezuela
Saintly Guide by Kendon Glass
Close to dusk we were followed for several kilometres by a man who had back tracked on his bicycle. We pulled to the side of the road and he approached asking us where we planned to sleep.
18/06/2003		Venezuela
Laying low in the Jungle by Kendon Glass
Loud calls and wolf whistles were being relayed down the human telegraph of the plantation communities. A little unsettling was the fact that we could hear, but not see those laying low in the jungle.
16/06/2003		Venezuela
This Ones got Blood by Kendon Glass
We get a room and spend an hour killing every mosquito that had pierced our defences. The walls quickly turned into a malarial killing field with the unnerving battle cry - "This ones got blood!" reverberating in my ears.
13/06/2003		Venezuela
Very Exposed by Kendon Glass
With machetes in hand they warily took the long way round. I looked across at "Ben the pale gringo" sitting half naked in his bright blue bike pants and understood why. Our half smiles turned into a priceless moment....
09/06/2003		Venezuela
Tension of the Times by Kendon Glass
The majority of the male population will simply look through you from the distant corners of their eyes, your intuition telling you that they are engaged in survival that leaves little time to exchange niceties with the well laden gringo from ´the lucky c
04/06/2003		Venezuela
Running the Gauntlet - Part 2 by Ben Glass
To the right we could quite often view the "barrios" or shanty-houses that cluster together in great quantities on the dry, steep hillsides that overlook the city.
26/05/2003		Venezuela
Running the Gauntlet by Ben Glass
...the plan was a simple one. Get dropped off at the airport, put our bikes together and ride 'flat-chat', stopping for no-one and nothing until we are a long way out of the city
21/05/2003		Venezuela
We have ignition! by Ben Glass
Earlier in the month, May 8 to be precise, the education initiative of the Brink expedition was officially launched in our hometown of Brisbane, Australia...
19/05/2003		Venezuela
Caught in a trap by Ben Glass
We disobeyed the mantra of our Travel Clinic guardian Semone, "Cook it, boil it, peel it, or forget it!", and have subsequently paid the price...
13/05/2003		Venezuela
Ca-razy in Caracas by Ben Glass
Some of you might already know that many of the great mountaineering and sailing expeditions of the past have had to endure numerous failed attempts and much heartache before finally tasting success....
01/05/2003
A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT by Ben Glass
A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT The Brink Expedition is about to undergo a transformation that requires an adjustment to its route and duration.......
15/04/2003		Chile
How about that trout! by Ben Glass
Getting hungry, starting to dream of mum's spaghetti bolognese. It's haunting me, teasing almost. I swear I can smell the garlic bread from here....
11/04/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Chile
Centurion del Toro by Ben Glass
He came to the crease with willow in hand primed to smack spalding 'round a land of lands
06/04/2003		Chile
Jaffa Porridge and Mashed Pastato by Ben Glass
...we must have been at least four days at the site because the food was getting low and we were having to get a little more imaginative in making our remaining rations palatable.
03/04/2003		Chile
Into the Deep Blue by Ben Glass
It wasn't that they were climbs of a huge distance, it was more the combination of the ascending gradient with the uncooperative road surface that made these days count.
31/03/2003		Chile
Babybird by Ben Glass
Inching our way on the track I came upon a fellow creature that proved Kendon and I weren't the only two beings taking a pounding.
26/03/2003		Chile
Lance Headstrong by Ben Glass
We were disecting a sun-lit valley containing many wildflowers, several mountain streams and a few reasonably contented horses. It was a setting that tempted the mischievious inner-child in both of us, and before long we were re-enacting 'Tour-de-France'
23/03/2003		Chile
Cueva de Milodon Part 2 by Ben Glass
Rumours circulated that the Milodon might still exist, and Patagonia quickly earned the reputation as a mysterious southern land from a time long lost.
20/03/2003	School Journals	Chile
Singing in the Rain WITH VIDEO!! by Kendon Glass
The rain slowly trickled down interplaying with the sun. This brought a freshness into the air that gave the drowning birds of the pampas a reason to sing.
08/03/2003		Chile
By popular demand by Kendon Glass
Get ready to shake your pollen sacks. By popular demand, joining us tonight from the back waters of Rio Ruben, Chile. Please rub your antennae together for the one and only....
05/03/2003		Chile
Cueva de Milodon Part 1 by Ben Glass
A simple task such as retrieving an adjustable wrench from the repair kit situated in your back left pannier can turn into a marathon ordeal, where you find yourself chasing your favorite pair of underpants across the pampas.
03/03/2003		Chile
To fish, or not to fish by Kendon Glass
We had a good chat, and on hearing of our future plans the guys gave us their cherished Shakespeare telescopic fishing rod and reel combo with a couple of lures. This package was close to their hearts, as a lot of fish and accompanying memories had ....
01/03/2003		Chile
15 Minutes by Ben Glass
With 12 hours notice, Kendon and I took a crash course in Spanish speech writing with Paola, determined to impress with our maiden address to a Latin American television audience.
27/02/2003		Chile
Puerto Natales almost fatales by Ben Glass
At the very moment it accepted an invitation from an obliging blossom, we pounced on the photographic opportunity like possessed 'paparazzi'. As a result, we have in our possession some of the best bumble-bee action shots ever taken by a couple of amateur
24/02/2003		Argentina
BRINK NEWS ALERT!!! We´re back! by Ben Glass
After a month in the black cactus wastelands of cyberspace, we are back! With us we have a gravel-grazed pannier full of stories to tell, ready to share with you in upcoming Brink journals.
01/02/2003	Spirit of Cricket	Chile
Backyard with Boonie - Down to the Wire by Kendon Glass
Cycling has been tough with 80km per hour winds coming from mostly side on. Get blown off the tredlies a few times a day and reached 68 km per hour on a flat stretch of dirt road when the wind favoured.
31/12/2002		Chile
Ride, boldly ride, in search of Empanada - Part II by Ben Glass
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, (kitchen door swings open, host appears with plates in hand), 3, 2, (starts walking towards us....Yes!), 1 - HAPPY NEW STEAKS with fries, mashed potato, salad and bread. Mmmmmmmm....
30/12/2002		Chile
Ride, boldly ride, in search of Empanada - Part 1 by Ben Glass
As well as a tutorial on Australian fauna Victor Jnr also got to witness the handy balloon work of "Rusty the Fantasmic Clown" (a.k.a. Kendon). Rusty topped the night off with a balloon mosquito and a balloon dragonfly for the little guy.
29/12/2002		Chile
Space Cadets by Ben Glass
Whilst asking these questions my own self-importance was being audited by the universe and in response I laid there small and amazed - amazed by the remoteness and vastness of such a beautiful, endless system
28/12/2002		Chile
Nature's Golden Fortress by Kendon Glass
There are many ways to wake up in the morning. Now and again you might wake up in your own dribble patch. For some peculiar reason, I usually save this for late Sunday morning.
27/12/2002		Chile
The Shed by Kendon Glass
We rolled around restlessly to what can only be best described as some sort of 'death metal'. Beanies pulled over our ears, we ventured in and out of consciousness thanks to a rogue piece of corrugated iron banging on our makeshift roof.
26/12/2002		Chile
Jutta Saint by Ben Glass
We were still waiting however for the replacement pump of our expedition stove to arrive at Rodrigo's address. It was agreed that the team would not take on the isolation of the Patagonian desert without a 'burner' in the kit bag.
23/12/2002		Chile
CHEW IT, DON'T JUST SWALLOW IT! by Kendon Glass
Pepe ("JB") was the first person since Grandad Glass to entice me into the slippery and slimy world of the mollusca. As a small child I was scarred for life by these 'alien life forms' and was destined to never return to this seafood wasteland.
18/12/2002		Chile
Thanks Rod a.k.a. 'the Quad' by Ben Glass
After spending almost two months hanging out in Patagonia and bearing witness to the formative stage of the expedition's machinations, the time has come for Rod to leave us to make his return flight home to Australia
15/12/2002	Spirit of Cricket	Chile
El Strecho Magallanes by Ben Glass
What ensued was a kamikaze-style, "bodyline" brand of cricket that rendered the wickets irrelevant. You see, the game was a tutorial of sorts, with the participants hailing from such diverse places as Germany, Chile and Argentina.
11/12/2002		Chile
School visits in Punta Arenas by Ben Glass
Under a shower of "Hello gringos!" vocalised from the classroom above, we are ushered into the building and shown to a stage at the front of an assembly area.
08/12/2002		Chile
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich by Kendon Glass
Kilometres off in the dusty haze a lone cyclist approaches us. Being a long way from anywhere places us in the 'no-mans land' of Tierra del Fuego. At present all that exists in my blinker'd world is a rock infested and windswept dirt road,
06/12/2002		Chile
Night Riders by Ben Glass
The oddest feeling - riding a bicycle in almost total darkness across the windswept plains of Tierra del Fuego. We had an idea that riding at night might enable us to beat our friend the wind and cover some valuable kilometres.
04/12/2002		Argentina
Something smells fishy by Ben Glass
As usual, the journey (more so than the destination) was to provide us with the bigger surprise, unveiling something quite intriguing. What we found was a high tide mark that was littered with the intact skeletal remains of many an Atlantic Salmon.
29/11/2002		Argentina
Rio Grandazed by Ben Glass
We blew into Rio Grande on the back of a ferocious wind that had been against us until a fortunate turn in the road several kilometres out. We were three dusty "gringos", hardened by life on the range...
21/11/2002	School Journals	Argentina
Leaving Ushuaia - Into the Mountains WITH VIDEO!! by Ben Glass
A grey fox has just run into our makeshift campsite near Tolhuin; paused to inquire of our business; a beautiful creature possessing a full coat and long bushy tail for those cold Patagonian days.
16/11/2002		Argentina
The 3rd Journal according to Ben by Ben Glass
Thy bike however is like an infantile beaver in that it has some big teething problems. It´s not as bad as I make it out but at the moment I am calling my bike The Escape Goat. Yeh I could have ridden up that mountain except for those faulty ...
13/11/2002		Argentina
The Spirit by Ben Glass
One might be mistaken for thinking we are about to fall victim to that travelling cliche "I came for a holiday and stayed for a lifetime."
08/11/2002		Argentina
Barbecue at Cormoranes by Kendon Glass
My ears prick to the sounds of "La Ley", an Argentinean "Dave Gray" sets the mood for the afternoon. I found out later the song is called "Sin Dolor". The English translation is simply "No pain". Years on a bicycle seat came into my mind and I had a quiet
06/11/2002		Argentina
A Simple Thank You by Kendon Glass
There has been an endless amount of kind and wonderful people who have passed on their heart felt best wishes to the team. It means a lot to us, so a big thank you to all these people.
31/10/2002		Argentina
The Beginning by Kendon Glass
I have an old hard covered book at home. In 1996 I penned the words 'Ushuaia' on it. Now I am here some six years later at the foot of a mountain, barely able to see the top.
30/10/2002		Argentina
Hola Amigos/Amigas!!! - Ushuaia by Ben Glass
Brink Expedition's 1st journal. It´s probably foolish awe but I couldn´t help forging a request of Mother Nature to reveal her wisdom/power over the course of the next 800 days.