First week of December was fully booked with 2 Christmas parties, salsa dancing, voluntary work at the Swedish Christmas Bazaar at the Swedish Church and I also run my last running race for 2010. The race, Susan's Women Run, 10k, was fun and I managed to finish in a good time too. End of Sunday was spent at the pub in Windsor with Mick over some beers and good talk.
Me with my colleagues from IBM at the End of Year Party
Christmas Bazaar by the Swedish Church, over 10000 people in 2 days, I worked in the smörgås-tent
Last running race for 2010, 10km in St Kilda, Melbourne, 5th of December
Me at Sean´s Christmas party at the Crown
Second week was busy too with indoor climbing (Mick and Nadia) where I did some leading, went salsa dancing with Sara and Diana to the Spot, flew up to Sydney on Friday the 10th of December and had a great weekend up in the big city. Met up with Carl, Sean and his friends on Friday evening, said goodbye to Carl on Sunday morning before he flew home to US after almost one year of traveling. Always sad to say bye a good friend....
Did some surfing in Dee Why (North of Sydney) on Saturday, had so much fun, even if I didn't stand up this time. Met up with Grant in the evening over dinner and drinks by Circular Quay, good time and company as always :). Tried a new sport on Sunday afternoon before flying back to Melbourne, lawn bowling ... Aussie sport, a very social game played outdoors, looks like bowling but it's not, the bowl is heavy and rolls with the weight focused in the middle.
Surfing on Dee Why Beach, north of Sydney, with Carl and Sean
Me and Carl just before he went to the airport in Sydney
Shelly Beach - just off from Manly Beach, my old favourite beach :)
Playing Lawn Bowling with Sean's friends in Sydney
Third week was a quick and sad one, went to the Swedish Church Christmas concert to feel the Christmas spirit (it's hard when it's warm and sunny down under), flew to Canberra on Tuesday morning for renewing my Swedish passport at the embassy and had a gorgeous day in the capital city. Rented a bike for the day and biked around the whole city. Had the last work Christmas drinks with Manpower where I managed to get tipsy and had to walk my bike home (almost the whole way).
Canberra view from the Tower hill, took the bike up and wanted to check out the view from the Tower, to my disappoitment they only took cash and I only had card on me
Parliament House in Canberra
My bike for the whole day in Canberra, the most bike friendly city this far in Aussie, impressed!
Over the weekend I went to Arapiles with a group from MUMC. I didn't do any climbing, did a long walk by myself around Mount Arapiles instead, met an old man from WA on the walk and had a good talk to him about Australia. Reason for not climbing was that I didn't find it appropriate since a friend from MUMC died in NZ during the week. End of Sunday was spent at the pub in Windsor with Mick, almost a habit now, the Sunday pub talk and drink :).
Walking view by Mount Arapiles - beautiful!
View from the top of Arapiles
Group picture by Arapiles, from left; Ben, Ivan, me, Sean, Mick, Jacinta, Roger and Brent
Forth week was Christmas and full of work to finish up before my 10 days of vacation. On Monday the 20th of December I received my best Christmas present ever, work will sponsor me so I can stay and work in Aussie for up to 4 years! YEAH! So happy! Had a delicious morning tea on Thursday at work where we played indoor cricket (and I made my famous chocolate truffles), had a Christmas Eve lunch at the Swedish Church with lots of good food and present game, went for a concert in the city with my extra Swedish family in Melbourne, stayed in Werribee with the family for 2 days and enjoyed being part of a family and played with my favourite kids in Aussie (Savanha and Oden).
Morning tea at work with my colleagues, from right to left; Jo, Chris, me, Diana, Raj
Me playing indoor cricket, fun time, we played with a paper ball :)
Me on Christmas Eve by the Swedish Church, the kids by the tree are sleeping since they were singing "The bear is sleeping" :)
My extra Swedish family in Aussie, Sue and Rudolf, Ida and Fredrik with their two lovely kids Savanha and Oden - Christmas Eve concert in the Kings Domain Gardens in the city
Me with Savanha and Oden having fun with the camera on Boxing Day :)
Last week of 2010 was a lazy week doing not too much ... cleaning, washing, meeting up with friends, went to the beach with Diana - one of the best beaches in Victoria (Rye Beach on the Mornington Peninsula), took the bike to Brighton beach one day, went for a NYE party in West Brunswick on the bike (in 40 degrees heat and I got so overheated that my first question at the party was if I could borrow a towel and take a shower to cool myself down). Had a good NYE, went to two parties at the same time, back and forth between them, happy and tipsy, took the bike home with Mick's company along the bike track. Happy New Year to everyone!
Brighton Beach, outside of Melbourne
Rye Beach, south of Melbourne, gorgeous beach with crystal cold and clear water
Hope 2011 will bring lots of good memories, fun and challenging things into my life and to everyone else too :)
