The new year has just ticked over and the few months of scribbling out and correcting the date every time I write it down has begun. 

Its the stage of the year, that people start talking about resolutions. A nice idea, but I find that way of thinking doesn't work for me. I know I personally have a lot of inertia, it takes a pretty strong idea to get me moving, but once I'm at something, I'm too proud not to be better than average at it.

With that understanding of myself, I set a series of goals last year. I was travelling back from Turkey and had too much to much time on my hands whilst waiting for buses and airplanes. Thats how the original list came to be. Seeing as it's time for a new one, I thought I would start by considering the list just expired:

Grow a Beard

This was an ongoing travel thing, a kind of medal of honour you wear to say: “ I don't work, I don't have an employer, no one would employ me with this 'Chin Curtain' and because of that I'm free.

I think I achieved that much:

Lead ski mountaineering (skimo) adventures:

My first year skiing in France, I was oh-so-lucky to be taken under the wing of my Cousin Martial and his grumbly grey (ahem...older) comrades of the Alpine. This was one of the best opportunities I have ever had. Whilst my friends were all in big groups of youths lapping the side country, The wealth of mountain experience these guys shared was taking us waaaayy into the back country. It was my first time really skiing and I was frantically trying to master that. So as far as the route, group and saftey bit, I was very much a passenger.

2014 arrived and I wanted to take the responsibility. It meant owning and carrying the group safety gear, planning the routes and possible alternative itineraries, monitoring the weather and snowpack conditions, and not least of all managing the group.

I still skied with Martial and his friends when the opportunity arrived but it meant I was flexible to my timing and free to choose the routes that interested me.

It led to many adventures with only my climbing partner, skimo companion and girlfriend, Robyn:

Stand on top of the Mont Blanc holding my skis

This was a long one. I knew the ascent was demanding, treacherous and long and often the weather windows were short. Many people climb the Mont Blanc in summer; In winter, many less. Even then, most will drop their skis at the Vallot hut near the top as the last ascent is very windy and often the skiing is terrible.

Robyn, Richard, Steve and I went for it in dubious conditions of far too much snow. Steve's gear had a few issues so he kindly waited half way up at the refuge. Robyn, Richard and I persisted along an unothodox route that would leave us in a high serac fall risk area for an extended time. It was the decision we made, considering it safer than the usual route that was avalanching heavily and easily.

Well, we battled our way up with poor Robyn struggling with the altitude. Richard shifted into beast mode and carried Robyn's skis up for her, on his back. I took lead on our roped party, and hit by hit of my ice axe dragged the poor girl to the top by the glacier cord that we were all tied together by. It was hard, but my god was it beautiful! A huge effort by all, particularly Steve for having the selflessness to turn around early in the name of group success and Robyn for pushing past her limits so many times!

Goal achieved!:

Start shooting video

I was first introduced to photography through painting. I Painted in acrylics when I was in perth, but the process was long. I'd enjoy the first hit of inspiration that would often drive me into the night working on a piece. Eventually of course, I'd fade away and have to call it an evening. On returning, I'd be proud of what I produced but unable to go at it with the same gusto that was present the first time around.

So the photography started and I liked it. Press a button. Job done!

 I was climbing, riding, running, and skiing when i was in Chamonix and as a result, exposed to the media that surrounds these adrenaline sports. It didnt take me long to think. “Hell, I do enough cool stuff to warrant making some video of it, it's basically just a photo that moves right?” Well I was half right, and I aquired some small format camera gear second hand and started to try. (turns out its a fair bit more complicated than that)

Fast forward to the end of summer and I was paid to produce these video's. Through a strange set of circumstances and the unending kindness of Murat, Bec and Musty at Alaturka Turkey, I lived on Turkish Gullet boats and sold the dream about the beauty and glamour of the south Turkish coast via video.

Run a trail race

Chamonix is famous for many things, through heritage, it concretes its place in terms of alpinism and snow sports. 'Cham' has become a mecca for a new breed of athlete, travelling ulra light, head torch, poles and legs of just sinew. The ultra Trail du Mont blanc is THE race when it comes to trail running. These head cases run 160km's around the Mont Blanc massive, and climb 12km up and down in the process, at night, in just over 20 hours!

Well thats a bit much for me, but I did take to trail running. The feeling of experiencing so much beautiful terrain, solo, is a wonderful thing.

I never had a chance to compete in France, but I caught wind of a small scene in Perth, and for something entirely different, ran a night sprint through the single track bush routes in the hills above Perth. It was spectacular and I'm pretty happy with the outcome.

Runner light trails during "Moonshadow" from Perth trail series

Photo stolen from Perth train series Facebook page. just finished. i'd say i look pretty fresh!

Organise a climbing trip

part of me taking charge of a group again. I sent out invitations and managed to get a round dozen from France and Australia climbing under the Turkish Sun in Olympos. What and amazing time we had!

Steve and Genya, sharing a party climb in Horguc Cave, Olympos

Left to Right: Genya, Tomoko, Steve, Patrick, TomTom [me], Dan, Royn, Berty: you Legends

Learn Turkish

well i'm embarrased to say I failed at this one. I learnt enough to order food, charm sweet old turkish farmers and talk to the deck hands about girls, but thats about it. At the end of my second stay in Turkey, something clicked and I finally saw the construction of the language for what it is. Not that difficult, just very different to what I knew.

It was in meeting Olivia, a young Aussie Jeweller, working in the Grand bazaar of Istanbul, who spoke many languages flawlessly; at least english, french, german, Turkish, that I realised that it can be done, and that I was just being contently naïve and typically Australian. Lesson learnt, thanks Zeytin (olive in Turkish)!

Olivia (pictured) explaining Turkish to me, was clear as mud

Tame dog

That's the opposite of a wildcat, a kind of aerial cartwheel on a snow board. I hurt myself trying this over and over again. They say it's an easy trick to learn...well not that easy for me, I never managed!

one attempt of many...failed

It seems that setting goals works for me, I've always been more fond of the carrot than the stick. On that note here are my goals 2015. please feel free to ask me as the year wears on, about how i'm progressing and feel free to hassle me if you think I could be doing better!

-Work as an Engineer again. Earn money, do it well, be part of that world

-Make future adventure plans. (short term: climbing in Thailand. long term: Skimo in -Argentina)

-Learn to do a Muscle up

-Run a marathon

-Learn Spanish

-Continue to push photo projects for myself

-Try shooting photos on film

-Keep adding meaningful content to the blog

-Improve my english speech and hand writing

-learn to place trad climbing protection

-learn to control artificial lighting for camera ( multiple flash studio set up)
-Approach life with and an open mind and people with an open heart, like my good friends Callum and Kav. Man, I look up to you guys, your so kind and so cool.

Well that's it in shorthand. I don't doubt the list will shift and change. But I cant wait.

I've been on the road for almost two years and now i'm faced with the concrete reality of returning to work. To be honest, I'm eager. I miss having a purpose, it would be nice to be able to acrue some money and I honestly get more things done under the constraint of the limited time working life brings.

Hopefully I can harness some of my beautiful girlfriend, Robyn's, drive. It's only matched by her kindness. now with those two things, i could get stuff done!

Needless to say, 2014 was a spectacular year, I cannot wait to get my teeth into 2015.

-TT