5 Adventures To Make Life Unboring

What is boredom? I Googled ‘bored’ and found this dumb website. Hmm, no closer. But now, after much postulating upon a yonder mountaintops and a brief flirtation with photographs and red string (I’m not crazy, I’ll send you some links), I found the answer.

Boredom is the absence of cool stuff to do. It’s kinda like being in the dark. And in the same way that darkness is a ‘boring lack of light’, fun stuff is… the light. Ok technically light lets you see so the fun can happen, but that’s semantics. Anyway, I’m pushing this extended metaphor towards a cliff, I better ease off.

So if darkness is boring and lightness is not boring, then one of the best tools to make life unboring has gotta be a headlamp (or headtorch, they’re the same thing). We’re not even gonna entertain the idea of a torch that doesn’t strap to your head – it’s 2020 baby, time to go handsfree.

A Fresh Take On Headlamps

Speaking of 2020, the legends at Aussie design company Knog took one look at the headlamp market, thought ‘that needs a shakeup’ and hit their desks to create something better. After 18 months and countless iterations, they came up with the ultimate boredom-slayer, the Knog Bilby headlamp.

Enter Now: Win 1 of 10 Bilby headlamps from Knog

The Bilby headlamp ain’t like anything else out there

Nerding out on specs is boring, so here’s the important stuff. Knog’s Bilby headlamp is USB rechargeable, programable, boasts up to 400 lumens (that’s super bright), can last more than 24 hours while burning bright, is waterproof, and sports a single-piece silicone design that only weighs 90 grams.

We reckon it’s the ultimate headlamp for unlocking the night, here’s what it’ll let you do.

Canyoning

I’m not gonna pull any punches: if life’s feeling a bit samey for ya nothing will spice it up faster than a trip down a canyon. Combining heights, abseiling, rushing water, the dark, and the pure seclusion of going somewhere wild and inaccessible, canyoning is a proper thrill (and chill, don’t forget your wetsuit!).

As you descend through a canyon the walls start to reach high above you, blocking out the light. Flick on your waterproof headlamp as the frosty air hits your face and pay attention, phones don’t work down here and rescue is difficult, but the risk is worth it to see a place most never do.

You can explore your first canyon with a guided tour of Empress Canyon in the Blue Mountains or, if you’re in Victoria, book in to explore the underground river at Mt Buffalo.

Midweek Camping

How’s your screen time looking? Gettin’ out on the weekend’s all well and good, but sometimes a midweek escape is the only thing between you and slippery schooners come Friday. (Couldn’t escape them even while working from home could ya?)

Search the map, slap your gear in the car and hit the road. Don’t worry ‘bout checking the batteries in your camping headlamp, you can charge via USB on the way (my Bilby lives in my glovebox).

It’s midweek and you’re probably not out of reception, but flick your phone off and chuck it in the car anyway. Cook on the fire, read a book and look at the stars. Do one thing for more than five minutes that’s not scrolling or watching The Masked Singer.

Boredom sets in easily in this dopamine-dosed modern world – fight back with simplicity and you’ll quickly figure out that the world is pretty damn interesting after all.

Why not hook in to a cheeky overnight hike? The Bilby headlamp’s bright enough for night hiking. Here are our faves in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane!

Stroll Through Some Caves

The Surface: too sunny, obvious, literally everyone is there.

Underground: spooky, kind of metal, no phone reception (it’s a big deal for me ok).

There’s a reason the coolest bars and clubs are below street level. It’s because being under the ground is cool. Trains? Boring. The subway? Gritty, tell me more.

As discussed above, the dark on its own is boring, you need some light to avoid your article adventure turning into one giant paradox. I recommend chucking a headtorch on your noggin’ so you can keep both hands free to cut shapes and eat Shapes.

Going caving doesn’t have to be a scrambly affair with a helmet and overalls, in fact, many of the most beautiful caves on the east coast are set up to be strolled through.

Top cave picks include Wombeyan Caves 3.5 hours from Sydney, Buchan Caves 4 hours East of Melbourne and Chillagoe Caves in Far North Queensland.

Hot Tip: Many caves are closed right now due to this pesky virus, but it won’t be long till they’re back open and you can get deep.

Fishing at Dawn or Dusk

In a perfect world, fish would hit their commute at 3 pm, you’d crack a sunset beer and they’d jump into your esky while you kicked back on the wharf. But they don’t and to be honest, it probably wouldn’t be any fun that way, it might even be boring. So with that in mind, pack your headlamp and set the alarm for fish o’clock.

Your natural night vision can actually get pretty strong when it’s left to adjust, but a quick blast of light can undo everything. You might even scare off the fish! Luckily there’s a hack, red light sits on a part of the spectrum that doesn’t muck with your ability to see in the dark, but illuminates things like fish hooks and bait in the dawn and dusk glow. Flick on your red light and get casting!

Check out these great spots for fishing in Sydney and Melbourne.

Hot tip: Red mode’s also perfect for camping when you want to do some bulk stargazing (so, always?).

Trail Running

I’ve had more than a few people tell me that running’s boring, and my standard response (‘run faster’) isn’t often seen as a solution.

Trail running isn’t boring. The views, everchanging bushland and ever present fear of absolutely writing off your ankle keep you totally alert. Still not enough? Try trail running at night. A short dose of this utterly unboring activity will supercharge your week, but be careful, it’s addictive.

Other benefits include having the trail to yourself and avoiding the heat in summer. You’ll need a bright running headlamp that doesn’t bounce around or flop down at the wrong moment to smash trail sans solar. Luckily the Knog Bilby’s single-piece design and 400 lumens has you more than covered in that department.

Need a spot for a night run? Hook in to all of We Are Explorers’ trail running articles or find a hiking trail – if you can hike it, you can run it!

Just Get Out There!

You never regret an early wakeup to catch sunrise or nights out under the stars. How often do you really regret giving something new a red hot go? Call ya mates and tee something up – life doesn’t have to be boring, don’t let it! Just don’t forget your light.