Half tour of Aussie in February

Hey ... another month is gone, February was a traveling month, have probably never been flying so much during one month before.

First week of Feb was spent in Melbourne, finished my beginner Spanish course, todo bueno! I went out to Werribee on Wednesday to see the kids and to create a welcome poster for the girls greating in Sydney. The poster work too us around 2 hours and I was amazed the kids had so much patience :) ... proud Savanha and Oden below!



Took off from Melbourne on Saturday 5th of Feb, flew up to Sydney ... and I still remember the floodings in Melb from the storm on the 4th Feb ... power was cut off in the apartment and the wind was strong, many bridges were closed. Despite the storm I could fly out from Melb :)
Had 2 days of chilling in Manly, didn´t do much ... ran in pouring rain along Manly to Shelly beach and was doing high 5´s with every runner I was meeting along the path, did a long beach walk from Manly to Curl Curl beach and back to Manly, had some beers with Andrew and was waiting for the girls to arrive from Sweden.

Big hugging day was early Tuesday morning (8th Feb) at Sydney International Airport, I stood and waited for Anna and Caroline, ready with the poster in my hand. When I finally saw them I was so happy :), was good to see them after more than 1 year!



Had 2 chilling days with the girls in Manly, went for long walks along the beach, talked and catching up for the lost time ... I did a 2 hour surfing lesson on Manly Beach and managed to stand up on the board for amazing 13 seconds hihi.


Surfing is easier for each time I try ... Manly Beach 9th Feb

On Thursday 10th Feb we took the train from Sydney to Katoomba, 2.5 hours on the local train up to the Bluies (Blue Mountains). Introduced the girls to bush walking around Katoomba, did some shorter walks in sunny weather on Thursday and Friday. I did a long 6 km circuit walk along Prince Henry track in pouring rain on Saturday, got so wet that I was freezing terribly afterwards. On Friday evening we met for dinner and drinks with Grant, had some delicious Greek food and continued to a local pub for beers. On Saturday evening we took the last train back to Sydney and stayed up the whole night for taking an early flight to Cairns at 6am. Puh, we did manage to stay awake, slept 2 hours on the plane.


Me in the Bluies close to the the 3 sisters


Grant with the 3 (one tall, one pink and one brown) chicks in Katoomba

Arrived to Cairns on Sunday (13th Feb) morning, tired and cranky, checked in at Gilligans Backpackers Hostel, stayed there for 2 nights. Were lucky with the weather, hot and humid and not so much rain, I was expecting more rain since it was the rainy period. On Tuesday morning (15th Feb) we went on a sailing boat cruise for 2 days in the Great Barrier Reef with the RumRunner, a boat from Cairns. Had an awesome time onboard, did a free intro dive and everything went all good and I did 2 more dives.






One big step into the GBR


Lots of fish to tick off from the map :) ... did see some sharks, colourful fish in all colours, a sting ray, cuttle fish, a trigger fish, octopus and one green turtle on the last dive


Me in the GBR fully equipped :)... of the 8 dives I did, the most memorable was the last one when I saw the turtle




Happy me on the RumRunner :)

Got back from the sailing on Wednesday afternoon, hard to walk straight, felt like being on a boat while walking on land hihi. After some beers in the evening I was all good again! Decided with the girls to hire a car and drive out from Cairns, so on Thursday (17th Feb) I drove to Cape Tribulation along the coast. Stopped for lunch in Port Douglas, which is a fancy pansy tourist town, glad we didn´t sleep there ... took the river ferry and checked in at Cape Trib Beach House and had a great dinner there before we went to bed.


Port Douglas beach view


View from south of Cape Trip on the way back to the ferry crossing back to Cairns

On the way back to Cairns we stopped along the way, had a look at the sanctuary where we saw many native animals from Queensland ... many crocs, spiders, snakes and birds ...


Since I loved the diving I took off with RumRunner for the second time, from Saturday to Sunday, 19-20th Feb, while the girls stayed in Cairns and did some things on their own for 2 days. All in all I did 5 dives, wasn´t allowed to do the night dive with the others since I don´t have a PADI license, but I was happy with my 5 dives anyway. Will have to do my PADI Open Water soon, maybe in June over the next long weekend in Victoria.




All good - OK OK, ready for the warm water :)

Back to Cairns on Sunday arvo and managed to walk better this time :)
Went with the girls to a bbq to Jason and Tess´s house close to the airport on Edge Hill.

BBQ-troup, American girl, Anna, Caroline and some others I don´t remember the names of

On the last week with the girls and February, we rented a car in Cairns for 2 days, drove south of the city and saw many beautiful waterfalls. This is gorgeous view just south of Cairns ...



One of the waterfalls around Milla Milla...


On Tuesday (22th Feb) arvo we flew to Darwin, a 2 hour flight. Could see from the sky all the water in Kakadu NP and guessed that the roads wouldn´t be so good for us to drive on. And yep, it turned out that Kakadu NP was almost closed, the main road from Darwin was closed and you had to take a longer way around to it. We decided to skip Kakadu and focused instead on Litchfield NP (a much closer national park from Darwin). We stayed one night in a backpackers hostel in Darwin and hit the road with the rental car on Wednesday morning to Litchfield. I drove the most time, much easier this time, Anna and Carro tried to drive for a short period of time. The route on Wed was Darwin-Batchelor-Florence Falls-Buley Rockhole-Wangi Falls-Tolmer-Termite Mounds. Slept in a cousy little cabin at Pandanus in Litchfield :)


Florence Falls in Litchfield NP, had a lunch here down on the rocks after a cool swim


Tres chichas eating lunch by Florence Falls :)


Wangi Falls, big falls, so noisy, was closed for swiming


Road view in Litchfield ... I'm not driving here :)


The Mitshubishi Outlander we drove for 2 days around Darwin, big and comfy car, good when crossing all the water on the roads like here ...



On Thursday (24th) we went to Crocodylus Park, outside of Darwin to see the mighty crocs ... nope, we didn´t see any crocs while walking, swiming or driving in Litchfield.


Croc loves meat ...


... and I got to hold one baby croc, a Johnson, a freshie one. The park guide next to me talked for 50 min non-stop, he really must love his work!

On Friday (25th) we returned the car and had a day in Darwin where we walked around and took a proper look in the city. Went to Darwin Museum, saw the Tracy exhibition (big cyclone that destroyed Darwin in 1974) and had a delicious lunch there before we walked back to the city centre. Met up with Lars and his friend in the evening, one of Mick´s old friend for dinner and drinks in the Wharf Precinct. Lars was a funny guy and the girls and me had a good time on our last Darwin-evening.


Me by the Wharf Precinct in Darwin

Flew back to Sydney on Saturday morning, a long 4.5 hour flight, where I managed to sleep for 3 hours and had a boring time the rest of the flight... danced around the plane while people were sleeping hihi :)
In Sydney we had a relaxing afternoon walking to the Royal Botanical Gardens before we took off to Andrew´s birthday party in Kings Cross. It was a fancy nice party with a guestlist, drinks and food. Good time there with the girls. Went to a salsa place by the Rocks with Anna after the party where we danced a bit before heading back to the hostel. Sunday was a bitter-sweet day, it was time to say goodbye to the girls and we went for a farewell lunch on Bondi Beach... had lunch at Icebergs where the service was non-existing, I had to act a waitress for my own food and drinks.


Last lunch with the girls for a long time :( ... great food and view of Bondi Beach


One tall, one pink and one brown on Bondi Beach - Sunday 27th of Feb 2011


... and the poster is in Anna´s hands now in Sweden, Lund

I flew back home, to Melbourne on Sunday evening and started to work again at IBM on Monday morning ... this since my business visa was granted and I can now stay and work for 4 years in Aussie :)

Busy and hectic first month of 2011

New year and new challenges ... 2011 here I come!
After a very busy and stressy month I´m happy that January is gone ... in a good way.


Phillip Island - 3rd Jan

First week of Jan was relaxed, enjoyed my time off from work to the 4th. On NY-day I took off with some climbing friends (Jacinta, Mick and Roger) to the Cathedrals and Phillip Island. I didn´t do any climbing by the Cathedrals, but I did some surfing on Phillip Island, so fun! Will definetly do it again. Got back home on the 3rd.
Attended my first wake on Saturday the 8th, talked a lot to Egg´s brother, baked 2 apple pies, was social, sad and happy at the same time ...

Second week of January started in an easy way, 2 birthdays at work, my manager and mine, lots of chocolate and sweets haha. My b-day was a good one, work during the day and went to Victoria Night Market after work with some colleagues (Diana, Cynthia and Annie). Good sangria and crepés, and good after market drinks in Windsor with Mick!
Rest of week activities were; running in pouring rain for 90 min, ice skating in Docklands, pool party in Hampton at Helen´s place, my own birtday and sponsorship party by the Melbourne Bowling Club and pool party in Caulfield.


Pool party in Hampton at Helen´s place on Saturday


Birthday party - playing lawn bowling


My Swedish family in Melbourne - Savanha, Oden, Ida and Fredrik

Third week of Jan was very busy and stressy, too much to do at work (which is good), started on my sponsorship paperwork on Monday with the migration agency, started my Spanish intensive lessons for 3 weeks and 3 times a week, did a long run which I so needed, finished my visa paperwork on Friday after a chasing week with my previous employers in Sweden (they did a good job and helped me), went to a tennis party in St Kilda on Friday evening with lots of Swedish people - had good fun there with Mick, Dev, Danni - talked to Sofie Arvidsson (one good Swedish tennis player who played in the Australian Open this year). Went out to Werribee on Saturday and stayed there to Sunday evening. Played with kids and went with them to Adventure Park in Geelong on Sunday ... I was a kid during the whole Sunday haha :) Good times and good memories!


Tennis party in St Kilda - here with Dev, Mick and me


Tennis party in St Kilda - me and Sofia Arvidsson :)


Adventure Park in Geelong - with the whole group, 23 Jan

Fourth and last week of Jan I continued with my Spanish classes, went to see Tieto Puente Junior on Australia Day (26th Jan) where I danced some salsa. Saturday was a busy day with 2 pool parties, one in the city and one outside the city. My Swedish friend Sara had a farewell party .... sad to say goodbye to her...
Mark from MUMC had a fence paiting,BBQ and pool party by his parents house in Ivanhoe. Yep, I did paint some of the fence, but didn´t go into the pool, too cold for me ...
On Sunday I went to Brighton Beach with Mick, so hot and nice weather, over 35 degrees. Afternoon was spent at the Windsor Castle pub with Mick and his friends, celebrating his 31st birthday.


Tito Puente Junior in Melbourne - 26th Jan, Sydney Meyer Bowl


Dancing at Tito Puente Jr concert :) - I look so happy!


Sara´s farewell-pool party - 29th Jan


Me with the girls on Mick´s birthday drinks by Windsor Castle pub - 30th Jan

Sad and Happy December

Year 2010 is gone and a brand new one has just started .... 2011 here I come!

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 :)

Changes in November

Well, it´s now December and I wonder where did the time go ... one more month to go of 2010.

On the way to work one morning - clear blue sky and rowers along the Yarra

In the beginning of November I had the privilege to baby sit the Swedish kids in South Yarra again ... had so much fun. Reading bedtime stories can be challenging I promise :).

First weekend of November I had my last guest staying at my place by the Swedish Church, Lovisa came from NZ over the weekend, she left for Tassie on Sunday. We had a fun time, chilling, city window shopping, went to a birthday party in Brighton and had many good laughs and delicious food and drinks. On Sunday after Lovisa left I took off with the kids to Werribee and had a wonderful and playful day with them ... thank you Savanha and Oden!

Me and Lovisa on the train to Brighton

Second week meant that I had to move out from the church, Tuesday the 9th was the big moving day ... I moved in to the church with 3 bags and I left the place with 10 pieces of bags (I didn´t pack so good so maybe I could have less). Anyway, this made me realise that I have so much stuff and I don´t even have any furniture. Had help of Gunnar from the church to drive all my stuff to the new place in Windsor (between St Kilda and Prahran). Now I'm sharing a 4 room apartment with an Aussie girl (Sylvia) and a Greek guy (Chris) - they are a couple and an Irish girl (Ruth). I have my own room, small and enough for me with lots of sun light. It´s a quite place and I´ve been here now for 3 weeks. I must admit I miss the privacy I had in my own apartment before ... oh, well ...time to get used to this new life! Change is good ... and changes to take time to adapt to :)

Old room view


Old kitchen view

I´ve been running, on and off, had a running race Nov 20, Corporate Games where I participated and run for IBM. Run 10k in probably the slowest time ever, 54 minutes and I wasn´t happy about the time. No excuses but the course was so boring and no people were cheering ... I know by now that I´m only good when I´ve the people energy around me :)


Farewell dinner at the church for Martina


Me and Martina, the "husmor" at the Swedish Church untill Dec 15, then she leaves back to Sweden :(

Went to my first house-warming party in Melbourne where the theme was Toorak (it's a fancy suburb in Melbourne, I stayed there for 5 months haha) ... so everybody was dressed up in fancy and posh clothes. Had a good time and I even danced at the party hihi :)

The climbing is still on, at least once a week with the enthusiastic climbing group (Dev, Mick, Nadia, me, Adrian, Devo), been climbing with Nadia twice - she's such a good and inspiring climbing partner and she's tough, pushing herself up the 19 wall like it was an easy 16 :).

Last weekend of November, I went to MUMC's (Melbourne University Mountaineering Club) Christmas party outside the city, to Kangaroo Ground, around 45 minutes drive. Had a wonderful time playing indoor games since the weather was rainy and stormy. Went kayaking on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon on the Yarra river, Ben and Helen were the leaders and they had a short intro to the basic things in kayaking for the 8 of us. Had to make a push-out from the kayak, Ben turned me upside down, I did get out ... hurt my knees in the quick push. During the Saturday kayaking I was the spinning queen on the Yarra, since I couldn't manage to paddle straight, was spinning all the time. On Sunday I did much better, practice is good ... had a turn in a steep water fall and I managed to come up quickly and was holding very strong to the paddle and the kayak. When Helen said to let go of the kayak I had to ask her twice that is was OK to let go :). I like kayaking, will definitely do it again. On Sunday morning we had to move the cows from one side of the farm to the other ... new and close encounter, fun thing to do.

View from the house


Me gambling, did win once in poker during the evening hihi


When the shower inside didn´t work this was handy after the kayaking:)


Cows and calves, 20 of each, we had to count them before the gate

Ah and yes, ... finally on the last day of November, I bought new running shoes since my old ones can't be used more (been in the dirty Yarra river when kayaking) and the big holes in the shoes didn't look pretty either. Hopefully the new runners will help to run in a good time on my last running race in 2010, on Dec 5 in St Kilda (Sussan Women's Fun Run = 10k).

My new Brook´s runners

At the moment I'm looking forward to know whether I'm staying in Australia on a business visa or not ... looks like yes for maybe 50%. The process of staying is long and there is a lot of paper work that awaits me ... but I think it'll be worth it :). I like Australia and I do want to stay here ... and like my mother tolled me when I left Sweden - 'you'll be stuck there Ingrid' - now I'll have to tell her that she was so right haha. So yep, looking forward to know, looking forward some love and things to do too ...