First weekend I took off to the Arapiles with MUMC (Melbourne Uni Mountaineering Club) and learned the skills of trad climbing, which means climbing and putting in gear for your own safety. We were a group of 10 people, different ages and nationalities with 3 skilled climbing instructors. Had a fun and challenging weekend, even if the climbing was easy, the trad climbing takes so much more time compared to indoors lead climbing and sports climbing. Here is me putting in a nut, a very focused Ingrid on a grade 10 wall :) ... which is a new beginner wall.
Now you see me better, my belayer Daniel below me.
Second weekend in Melbourne I had only one thing in my head ... the Melbourne Half Marathon on 10/10/10 :). The race was on Sunday morning, starting at 8am, so yep I had to get up early, by 5.45 for a quick and easy breakfast. The running went all good, the race was boring with almost no people cheering along the streets, I was bored and so I ran quickly, the quickest half marathon this far. Run into the MCG and passed the finish line in 1 hour 55 minutes and 6 seconds (compared to the Stockholm Half Marathon last year, 1:58:34).
A happy and very proud me inside the MCG with the medal :)
Third weekend was meant to be a Grampians hiking/climbing weekend but because the weather was bad the trip was canceled. Melbourne is a good city for rainy free days. Went to the Melbourne Museum, saw the "Hubble 3D" movie at the IMAX theater, had a nice tea pot on Lygon Street (which is the café and restaurant place close to the city, where almost everybody speaks Greek or Italian).
On Sunday the 17th of October I went to see and hear a spring concert at the Swedish Church ... the theme was "Home longing" or just simply "Home sickness" ... and yep, I got really home sick, longed home for probably the first time in 9 months. The music was beautiful and I had goose bums many times :)
Fourth weekend I took off from the city - this time to the Grampians for hiking and climbing. Stayed 2 nights at Troopers Creek, climbing and hiking the first day and the last day just climbing. The funniest thing during Saturday was that the climbing up the 3 pitches wall took less time than the hiking dowm to the camp sites :). Got lost on the way down and we had to go up again and find the walking track.
Just a tent view in the morning :), Joey with its kangaroo mum
Battle ships in the Grampians?
After the second pitch, up on grade 10, just climb following
Last and fifth weekend in October was meant to be the most challenging hike in my life with MUMC, but the weather was not on our side again. The plan was to do the Cross Cut Saw in the Victorian Alps, a circuit hike for 4 days in steep and challenging cliff scrambling. The rain didn´t stop us ... we took off for hiking on the Great Ocean Walk, 2 days of hiking was the plan. First night the rain was poring down and the wind was strong, had an easy walking from Aire River Camp site to Johanna Beach, 13km with some amazing views. The challenge came when we had to cross Johanna River, just close to the camp site. We crossed the river in groups of 3, holding hands with ocean waves coming from the left and the river speeding into the ocean from the right. All 6 of us made it safe over the river! We were very happy later :)
This was the angry river and ocean crossing ... doesn´t look so scary from above, but trust me it was a quick and deep river... see pic below!
We did have a vampire with us ... not me, even if I´m borne in Transylvania, wasn´t me, Helen dressed up since it was Halloween haha :)
We did see the most touristic place along Great Ocean Road - The 12 Apostles, well there are only 6 remaining now
4 of us, me, Sean, Helen and Vincent by the apostles on the last hike dayWork is still on, have another 3 months to go to the end of January, all good at work! I´m a SPOC now (single point of contact) for all contractor and fix term hire conversions, nice! More things to do and I enjoy being busy at work. Had a girls night out with the girls from work one evening after work, went for a pizza dinner + movie, saw "Eat Pray Love" with Julia Roberts, a girl chic film, very beautiful sceneries ... I'm already longing for Asia next year!
We had so say goodbye to Janet, a contractor who started in July together with me ... sad to say goodbye to her. Hope she´s enjoying fruit picking up in Queensland or NT!
Me and Janet on her last day @ IBMI did something that I´m really proud of this month ... I donated blood for the very first time and not the last one I think. Since I had bad experience from my last time in Sweden I wanted to re-try. The nurse was kind and she understood me and put a cover over the blood bag and I didn´t have to see my own blood. Lost 0.5 litres in 10 minutes and I was happy and dizy at the same time. Will have to wait 4 weeks for the results and to know which blood type I´m. Exiting!
At the moment I´m looking for a new place to stay in, have to move out from the church apartment on the 9th of November :(
