The return of the blogger ...

Hej hej,

It's been ages ago since my last blog, a whole year. Time is conspiring against me again and again :)

The major things that have left me with memories have been ... Anna visiting me in Melbourne from December to January and the trip we did to NT (Uluru/Kata Tjuta/Kings Canyon), the Great Ocean Road trip, Brisbane over Christmas and New Years, the many hiking trips with MUMC and the meetup group, all the gocart weekends with Mick spent at the track assisting and helping him... oh and the kittens - almost forgotten about the kittens (Bear and Leo) who entered our lives in April 2013 at 8 weeks old.

Uluru - Ayers Rock - The Rock from the helicopter

Chicas by Uluru at sun set in December 2012

 Breakie by Kata Tjuta - The Olgas - my favorite if I had to choose between Uluru and Kata Tjuta - less touristy and beautiful

Kings Canyon in NT - gorgeous place - specially in 20 degrees in mid December :)

Kings Canyon - Rim Walk around the gorge

Camping at Johanna Beach along the Great Ocean Road with Anna - Ingrid cooking :)

Johanna Beach :)

 Wreck Beach along Great Ocean Road

 Anna on Lord Arch beach

 New Years Day 2012/2013

 Strathie Island - outside of Brisbane in January 2013

 Birthday camping away on Pettmans Beach in January - East Gippsland = East of Melbourne

Birthday dinner on the beach - having a birthday in January is perfect for a BBQ

Mick's birthday weekend away on Philip Island in February

 Easter week was spent in Perth with Mick - what a beach :) --- love the beaches in/around Perth

 The Pinnacles - many small and large rock formations north of Perth

Me and Mick watching the sunset

Sunset over the Indian Ocean - April 2013 - one of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen

Hike-Ingrid on the way up to Mt Bogong in March - very hot weekend with above 30 degrees and first snake encounter (tiger snake) which has left memories for a lifetime 

 Mick - number 54 - driving at Oakleigh Gocart track in May 2013

Miss tiss - Miss Bear and Mister Leo - 9 weeks old in May 2013

Miss tiss - still small and tiny ones

The boys at the track - Stan = the FA, Mick = the Tony Kart, Mark = Tony Kart --- at the home track Melbourne Todd Road

Almost done walking after 6 days along the Great Ocean Road in August 2013 - my first solo hike

Will be uploading more pics on my picasa and will add the link here below.

Untill next time - take care!

Winter months - June to August 2012

Hey all,

It's been a while now ... more than 3 months. I've been summarising up my "winter" months in Melbourne below with some text and pics. 

June was an active month with lots and lots of hiking :)
Hiking adventures during June was 2 days on top of Mt Gwinear & Mt Erica (first snow camping for the season - was very cold and I couldn't sleep much, I was leading 11 walkers from MUMC and sleeping in my non-down sleeping bag), Mt Macedon circuit walk (leading a day walk with 14 happy walkers), Grampians car camping and day walk ( I was leading 7 walkers up to Mt Stapylton, Mt Zero and Mt Difficult, we had to give Mt Difficult a miss this time as the weather was bad and visibility was low and track marks couldn't be seen properly). 

A good leader needs to look at the map sometimes :) - by the Observatorium Lake along the Mt Macedon circuit track - June 2012

Winter camping on top of Mt Erica in Baw Baw National Park with MUMC - June 2012

Grampians hiking trip with MUMC - June 2012, Mt Zero, Mt Stapylton and almost Mt Difficult

The traditional Burnley theme party for June was "Mafia" - everyone was dressed as a mafia look-a-like. 
Fredrik's surprise party in Eynesbury was a truly surprise party, good to see the kids again after a long time.
Bike budget rally at the Parliament House in Melbourne - where many cyclists gathered up and protested against Ted Bailleu and his non existing budget for the cycling infrastructure in the city.
Joey house-warming party - a dog party where Joey was the centre of the attention after being in quarantine for 4 weeks ... great dog :)

Miss Savanha at the surprise birthday party

Modern kids playing

Joey - the happy dog after being let out from 4 weeks in quarantine

Me and Mick at the Mafia party in Burnley

July was an active month again :)
Hiking adventures where the following ones: Short walk around Albert Lake in Melbourne with the women's meetup walking group (I was leading 18 happy city walkers for 5km), day walk to Bunyip State Park (leading 26 happy hikers to a new state park for me, wasn't that beginners friendly as there were 3 steep sections and lots of tree obstacles along the track, good fun and great view during lunch - around 14km), Great Ocean Walk from Blanket Bay to Johanna Beach (11 keen hikers did 33km during 2 days along the beach section of the beautiful GOW, finished at Johanna Beach before the high tide came in.

Albert Park lake with city view - 5km of walking with the women's walking group - July 2012

Real sister love - Abby hugging Imogen - Mick's brother with family visiting Melbourne in July

Bunyip State Park with MUMC - 25 happy hikers traversing the obstacles in the park - July 2012

Blanket Bay along Great Ocean Walk - hiking trip with MUMC from Blanket Bay to Johanna Beach - July 2012

Great Ocean Walk with MUMC - river crossing, beach walk, koala spotting in trees, 33km in two days - July 2012

Dancing salsa at Copacabana, first time after a long time, I still have the moves, YEY :)
Meeting Mick's brother visiting from Sydney - Chris with the family (Helen, Abby and Imogen) - cute little girls, good to catch up with them in Melbourne
Farewell party in Burnley - saying good-bye to Nina who was heading back to Canada - theme was Aussie-BBQ with lots of delicious food and drinks :)

After the food is gone, there's plenty to drink - Nina's farewell  party in Burnley - July 2012

Happy Nina double-fisting :)

  
August - another active month
Did the Midnight Ascent with MUMC, which is a traditional yearly hike (cooking a 3 course meal inside the hut and being dressed up on formal attire) up to Mt Feathertop along a steep track and sleep by the MUMC hut at 1625m. Great hike up, challenging and hard as Mick wasn't feeling the best on the way up/down the track. We went skiing in NSW, Perisher, during 4 days with Mick's brother and wife and friends. Guess the Australian slopes can't even be compared with the European ones, too short slopes, too many people queuing for lifts and t-bars, missed the lifts and gondolas from France.
Guess the biggest thing in August was the move from Hawthorn to Bulleen, me and Mick decided to move to a bigger place, a proper house in Bullen, big day was 19th of August.
On the hiking side, did one longer hike in the Brisbane Ranges National Park with the club (MUMC) where me and 5 others did the Burchell Trail which is roughly 40km in two days.

MUMC hut close to Mt Feathertop - August 2012

Annual Midnight Ascent festivities in progress - cooking 3 course meals from scratch in cooking groups all dressed up in formal attire

Happy and leach free Ingrid almost down by the carpark from Mt Feathertop - very wet and steep track

Skiing in Perisher in August

Burchell trail hikers -August 2012

Burchell Trail in Brisbane Ranges National Park (80km west of Melbourne) - end of August - first day of spring gave us 20 degrees, way too hot for hiking, I prefer cooler temperatures

Blooming magnolia tree - our new house in Bulleen, Melbourne

Weekends away

Heya all - family and friends,

This time I've been really lazy and haven't come to update my blog for May month until now. May has been quick as I've been away from Melbourne during two weekends.

First weekend was spent in Brisbane with Mick's family where we visited little cute Niamh who was born in December 2011, she's such a little cutie.
Mick and his brother Gray spent some time bonding at the go-kart track driving Gray's go-kart. I joined them and was their assistant carrying things.

 Mick and Niamh

 Niamh with mum (Nuala)

 At Ipswich go-kart track outside of Brissie, Mick, Gray and Vince

During the 2nd week of May I went to listen to the adventurous Warren Mcdonald and Margo Talbot in Melbourne, Warren lost his legs while hiking in QLD a few years ago when a boulder fell on his legs, after waiting for help for 2 days his legs couldn't be rescued and had to be amputated at the thigh. Margo is one of the few female Canadian waterfall ice climbers in the world, and she and Warren are a great team, they've climbed and hiked around the world. It's incredible to see how much energy the two of them have and just because you don't have two legs doesn't make you less adventure seeking - I guess Warren and Margo show what life really is all about, you need to live it and experience it :)

Margo waterfall ice climbing in Canada

Warren on top o Federation Peak, Tasmania - 2 years after his accident


 On Friday 11th of May, me and Mick went to a Mexican theme party/dinner in Burnley, where everyone was dressed up and we all had Mexican food and drinks - there was even a piñata (Pedro) to knock down full of candy :)
Great evening and lots lots of laughter :)

  The Burnley Mexican party in a few pics :)

On Sunday morning I took the bus with my bike to Mt Macedon where I did the Mt Macedon circuit walk, 18km - my first day walk by myself. It was a great day with all seasons on one day, rain, sunshine, hail and fog.

Mt Macedon circuit walk in a few pics :)

 3rd week of May was preparation for the Wilsons Prom walk with the club. Left Friday evening and got back on Sunday afternoon. Walked from Tidal River to Halfway Hut on Friday evening and set up camp there. On Saturday we walked to the Lighthouse via Roaring Meg and the South Point and back to Halfway Hut where we spent the second night. 




 On Sunday morning we walked back to Tidal River and drove back to Melbourne after a shorter lunch stop in Foster. Think we walked almost 60km over the weekend, mostly with day packs so it didn't feel that heavy.

Me by the Lighthouse                                                  Me and Mick

 Gorgeous beach in Wilsons Prom National Park, 250km south east of Melbourne, on the way back to Tidal River on Sunday morning

4th week of May was a city week, went to Krissie's birthday drinks in Northcote, movies on Saturday and Nitro Circus on Sunday with Mick.

 Nitro Circus - motor bikes flying around and skaters/tricycles/boards going down the ramps, crazy and funny people