Last Leg of the Race

My weekends are always busy, so busy that they just go by in the blink of an eye. I always wondered if it just me or if it happens to other people. I never seem to have that "relaxing" time that I keep seeing on magazines' pictures where people just lay on the couch with a book in their hand and a mug of coffee on the other and just have time to read and relax...and by the way they always look so beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I am not so gullible and I also studied advertising, so I know they are fake images...but I also know that sometimes those fake images are there to motivate people to aspire to that and I wonder if someone gets there. I know I work hard, but I never get to that moment where I have nothing to do and can actually sit and enjoy that " magazine picture" life-style. Where does the time go? Today I rushed all morning (since 8.30) to get all the shopping done, the washing, tidied up the house a little bit and then did some cooking so when I got out in the afternoon to have a drink with my family I wouldn't be thinking that I had to quickly come home to cook. I enjoyed maybe one hour walking along some shops, having a drink and then came home for more stuff to do. Take the cats out, hang some clothes on the line, vacuum the living room and get the rest of dinner organised. Now it is 10:30, just finished dinner and the washing up and it is time to finally sit on the couch. Only I am too tired not to fall asleep as soon as I start to relax.

Today I found a vinyl of the soundtrack of the movie Amadeus and bought it for $8. Not bad. I came home and put it on and enjoyed it. Tomorrow is gym in the morning and then report writing...it's the last leg of my first year. Camp is coming out and then the countdown will start. I really need the holidays, the long "relaxing" holidays. Will they be really relaxing? I wonder.

Apples, Llamas and Falls

Listening to Benjamin Gibbard's new Former Lives CD we embarked on another day full of adventure!! After picking up a new guitar amp for Ric in Geelong, we drove to Lorne and found a new walk "Phantom Falls".

Escuchando el nuevo CD de Benjamin Gibbard "Former Lives"nos embarcamos en otro dia lleno de aventura!!! Despues de pasar a buscar un nuevo aplificador de guitarra para Ricky en Geelong, manejamos hasta Lorne y encontramos otra caminata Las Cataratas Fantasmas.

The walk starts at Allenvale, Lorne, in the midst of rainforest vegetation and stunning views. At the first turn we walked around a private property where apple trees grow in pretty little rows (shame there weren't any apples to quench our thirst) and llamas pasture in the sun.

La caminata empieza en Allenvale, Lorne, en el medio de vegetacion de selva y vistas espectaculares. En la primera curva nos encontramos rodeando un campito privado donde los arboles de manzanas crecen en filitas preciosas (lastima que no habia manzanas para calmar nuestra sed) y las llamas pastaban en el sol.

The walk was interesting from the start and promised to be medium-easy when suddenly a hill of interminable proportions erected in front of us turning the easy walk into medium-hard-very hard-stop going up already kind of walk. In my mind I pretended to be in the stepper machine at the gym and try not to look up at the endless uphill path that seemed to extend farther than the eye could see. This concept worked as suddenly the hill started to ease and we found ourselves catching our breath.

La caminata fue interesante desde el comienzo y prometia ser facil-mediana cuando de pronto una subida de proporciones interminables se erecto frente a nosotros volviendo la caminata facil en caminata media-dificil-muy dificl-para de ir para arriba ya! En mi cabeza yo pretendia estar en la stepper en el gimnasio y trataba de no mirar para arriba a la interminable subidita que parecia extenderse mas alla de lo que el ojo veia. Este concepto me ayudo a que se haga mas corta la subida hasta que empezo a alivianarse y nos encontramos parados recuperando el aire.

A few minutes later we arrived at the falls and descended the steep steps to see it from the bottom in all its grandeur. We sat amongst the rocks and enjoyed the beautiful scene and the soothing noise of the waterfall whilst we rested for a while. It was nice not thinking about reports (even though the word crossed my mind) and not worrying about house chores, garden trimmings and washing.

Unos minutos mas tarde llegamos a las cataratitas y descendimos las escaleras para verlas desde abajo en toda su grandeza. Nos sentamos entre las rocas y disfrutamos de la escena hermosa y del sonido calmante del agua al caer mientras descansabamos por un rato. Era hermoso estar ahi y no pensar en los reportes (aunque la palabra cruzo mi cabeza) y no preocuparme por tareas hogarenas, jardineria y ropa sucia.

The return walk was easier (except for a very steep descent) and ended in Lorne with chips, ice-tea and lattes.

El retorno se hizo mas facil (excepto por un largo camino en pendiente) que termino en Lorne con papas fritas, te helado y cafe lattes.