One of the best experiences in Australia - rogaining

First look at the map. Not quite excited yet by the look of it. :)


I all honesty, my rogaining experiment had a bit of a rough and rocky start. I did not, I repeat, did not, fall in love with the sports immediately. Maybe it was because I had just come home from a lovely week in West Australia, and getting up at crack of dawn (well, at dark actually) is never an ideal start for a weekend for me.Little did I realise I'd be spending this weekend meeting deadlines when others are celebrating AFL league final; I appreciate getting up for rogaining lots more now.

I was also not very well prepared. Got a list of equipment to take with us: Gaiters - what ARE gaiters?  I obviously don't carry with me on travels ALL my waterproof gear, shoes for running in the the bush, let alone a camel-back. Panicked and asked the second, way more experienced member of Team Finland, Niina, what she has and can we just try to combine our possessions. Luckily Niina lives here, so we were about set when Saturday came. And what we didn't have, we borrowed from our ever hospitable host Len and his team mate Tim.

So, rogaining. What are we talking about here? Yes, the name is ambiguous, because you can't really tell that it even refers to sports. The name is based on the names of its creators ROd, GAIl and NEil. These men are still active part of rogaining, because Neil himself was giving us tips before we head off the track and too late did I realise that we definitely need a picture with him! (Remember my fan pictures with low FODMAP cookbook writer Nat?) But in the end of 6 hour rogaining session we were greeted by Neil at the finish, so this time we weren't going to miss the opportunity. :D



With Neil and Niina. I said I had the gear, I didn't say it matched. :´D


 Rogaining is basically group  orienteering (2-5 people in a team) with a map of a vast area, but instead of racing against time, you have a set time and you try and get as many points as possible. There are 6, 12 and 24 hour competitions, and this time we had to choose between 6 and 24. Hardly a difficult choice keeping in mind my whining about equipment previously... :D 





Team Finland ready to go!



Len had been saying that rogaining is a "must" before leaving Australia, and luckily there was an event coming up. Then I met Niina at skiking not long ago, and since she does orienteering, Team Finland was born. This meant joining Victorian Rogaining Association, which I'm now a member of. :D (Although my membership expires within 6 months... bummer. Would've sounded cool to say that longer.)

The place for the competition, Strathbogie Ranges, was very close by this time, about 2 hours from our place in Kew. I forgot my tiredness (the rogaining guidebook instructs to sleep enough before the race; I slept 5 h) when getting to the place, because the view looked very picturesque. And it just got better during the day. 



3rd place! After 200 m. ;)


The first 2 hours were spent making a route and calculating points and estimating how much we could get. We calculated over 700 points. Not all checkpoints are equal; the easier and most accessible ones are only 20, whilst the more difficult ones are  100. Our maximum was 70, but already the 40s were hard work!Since the map was designed with the 24 hour rogaineers in mind, we couldn't really reach the high-score places in the 6 hours that we had to spend. 

Just a note here, rogaining is flexible. If you feel like just wandering around the area, you are free to do so. You don't have to run or aim at getting most points, if you don't feel like it or you can't. The nature's there to be enjoyed!






Planning and getting excited as the day starts getting warmer.






Len and Tim, obviously from Australia. :D




Niina going all "look at this place, it's so beautiful!" And I agreed.

 It's really difficult to rank all the nice events I've had in Australia, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed rogaining immensely. The nature - beautiful, versatile and filled with fresh air (occasional poo aromas trickling in the nose due to sheep and cows, though - gives a nice ambiance). The track - I didn't realise I can run and walk for 6 hours climbing hilltops, crossing creeks barefoot and climbing over fences (or going in between barbwire and barbwire). Didn't outrun the kangaroos, but saw several very close by. :) Roaming the same forest and fields as they do, how cool is that?






I tell you the water was refreshing!

 


Posing break.





Back in the day, someone had had a beer break too.





At a checkpoint




Judging by the skulls and bones at the other end of this tree, Niina is standing on some fox's burrow.




Beautiful and very relaxed cows on the paddock. They sure have a view from their living room



Sunset. Somewhere behind the trees is the finish line.

 Well, I can do these things, my knee can't. I need to fix this runner's knee problems that forces me to stop running due to sharp, sharp, sharp pain. Especially when going downhill. Hence had to walk instead of running. We also ended up getting a bit lost, which cost us a lot of time, but oh, well, this was our first time orienteering and I think we learned from that mistake and were more careful in the end. Btw, I think I've finally learned to use a compass. :D

Even though I felt bad for not being able to run and gain more points, we ended up winning the novice and women's series with 530 points - yay! The second best got something starting with three hundred points.  Len and Tim did even better, they got over 800 points and were the best rogaineers for the day! The price was precious: a chocolate bar. :D 



We were rewarded with plenty of food when the stars started twinkling and bonfire was burning at the Hash House.


It would be fabulous to try the 24 hour event and I'm already looking into taking part in rogaining events in Finland. I didn't know we do rogianing, but now that I know, I really want this to become a new hobby! Plus there is bikerogaining, metrorogaining in the cities, on skis, even canoes! Take a pick - the checkpoints are waiting!

***
Thanks Niina for making a day to remember and for the great pictures! Thank you Len and Tim for showing us why everyone should experience rogaining!



 Skippidy hop.


***
Next week is the last week in Australia - for now that is. Therefore in honor of my hobby-focused (yes, beer drinking is considered a hobby in my book of records) travel blog we are combining all these themes into one with the girls! Let's hope I get as good pictures as Niina did from our rogaining session... ;)

Blowing up balloons? It must be a blog party!

 

After a less than fun day (living in Tanzania in 2008 has lead to an invitation for a TB x-ray for tourist visa, starting 6 days of antibiotics due to a tiny scratch that got infected, boy problems, you name it...), I'm glad to notice that writing about and taking pictures of hobbies and travel as interested so many readers. While writing the figure is 1997. And since I'm pretty good at planning and preparing for parties, I wanted to write this blog post now. Because soon, the figure will hit 2000 and I think it's time for a blog party!!! :)

Hitting this magic figure meant that I started to inspect more carefully the statistics behind my blog. Most of the readers are from Finland, but during the past week, and the whole month, in fact, it's almost a 50-50 situation between Finland and Australia (thanks to Len's skike and ski promotions :D) and also the States are well represented. I'm especially keen on spotting countries like Brazil, Philippines, Russia, Maledives and France, because I like imagining who these people are and how they stumbled upon my blog. I have a hunch on who reads my blog in Philippines and India, and I'm thinking that maybe the Russian figure is explained by Kangaroo Hoppet, since Team Russia was well represented there. Whoever you are and where ever you are - I welcome you to read the blog also in the future! :)

Most of the search words that have lead to the blog are obvious: fodmap diet, here be dragons melbourne or lennu. Less obvious are and the vompats, jewish people in st kilda and my favourite: blowing up balloons. Only time I mentioned was balloons was when talking about IBS, FODMAPs and describing the sensation of bloating and feeling like a balloon is expanding in the gut. Not very positive images, but hey, it's a party, why not turn it to a positive and fun thing instead?! *<:)

For those who are into sports, I can "reveal" that the upcoming blog post will be on my new hobby: rogaining! I can just see my Aussie friends shaking their heads when reading this, that can't that Finnish girl come up with any ordinary sport for a change...! Nope, no she can't - thanks to some lovely Australian friends, who've introduced me to these sports (yes, Len, I mean you :D)! Besides, I haven't even tried the weirdest of Aussie sports yet. The Australian Football League (AFL) aka footy season is about to end this Friday (Hawthorne vs. Sydney), and although I've seen a live match and watched some on telly, I haven't even touched the peculiar almond-shaped ball yet! ;) Supposedly girls don't even play (booooo!!!). 

Fit, fitter, AFL player.

One thing is for sure - things will always work out and by now I'm already able to laugh at today's events. Plus writing this blog post has made me happier. :)  

Beach and beer life in Perth.

Days are numbered for me in Australia, which means I'm trying to make the most of it. I do miss home, I miss my family and friends, and somehow I'm starting to feel that this experience is ending too soon. It's just like I imagined; you start settling in, meet nice people that you'd like to spend more time with and then you find yourself at the airport with a return ticket in your hand. 

One of the most important and long-waited trip took place a week ago. Me and my ever-faithful Aussie companion, Jess, headed to check the city of Perth and Margaret River vineyards. Most importantly, I got to see my Tanzanian friend Esther, who's moved to Perth to study and work. I saw her last time in January 2010, if I'm not mistaken. I love that world has become smaller!

Starting our road trip to Margaret River with Ester...

... and Jess.

The week long holiday was such a success and full of good times. At the moment I'm drowning in online course deadlines, so I unfortunately won't have time to write a long story on our trip (at least not just now), but I hope the pictures will elaborate the recipe of a good summer vacation. ;)

Beach art at Yallingup.

There might be sharks out there, or then not. The surfer boys we met were saying to watch out. They on the other hand looked like they had been surfing all day.

Leena loves Cheeky monkey, because she can relate with them so well. Got the cap, beer coolers and main brewers contact information. :D

Whale spotting part I results (Augusta): the tiniest crab on the sand.

Blending in with bushfire forest in Augusta.

Fragrant flowers pleased us and the members of the local insect kingdom.

Need I say that the day long wine tour on a sunny Sunday was a success? At Watershed.

The company's name is a little tacky, but oh, who cares? Kippis, hölökynkölkyn, skool, cheers!

Sampling, sampling... At Evans&Tate.

Giant on a deer. An illustration from the upcoming mythology of Margaret River.

And we have a winner! Knotting Hill exclusivity and flavoursome wines were the best on tour.

Goofing.

The wine tour was lovely, but there's nothing like a paddle of beer at the end of the day watching the sunset.

There's also nothing better that Cheeky monkey beer. At noon on a Monday. :P

Nope, I did not take the picture hanging upside down at Ngilgi cave. These mushrooms are natural formations of limestone.

Helicitites haven't heard of gravity.

The caves were filled with stalactite, stalagmite, helicitite and shawl formations. The biggest cave has amazing acoustics. The stalactites won't come crashing down unless you sing Justin Bieber.

Whales did squirt water several times. That's what we saw of whales.

Whale spotting part II results (Cape Naturaliste): a lizard soaking in the sun 1 m away from us.

Cape Naturaliste visit turned out to be a history lesson, singing lesson (twinkle, twinkle little start to whales) and P.E. (running and hiking in the sand to spot whales that had just 10 minutes ago been by the shore). Still - loved it!

Beautiful women in the lighthouse tower with Yallingup in the background.

Someone in the upmarket Cottesloe misses their farm life? By the beach.

The Moscow circus came to Perth town.

Cycling in Perth with a decadent lunch stop: a cheesecake and Pimm's, though, it was more like drinking juice and fruit salad with a hint of Pimm's flavour. The Brits do it so much better. But with this weather and this view - loved it!

This is what Perth looks like on a sunny day. Great views! 

Esther and Esther took me to a lovely Indian, Mary Chutney's, the last evening in town. Haven't had this good Indian since Dar es Salaam!

What's missing from this photo cavalcade is pictures from Fremantle Prison Tunnels tour, where we took a 2,5 hours adventure underground in the former water tunnels of Fremantle. One of those experiences I will treasure for a long time. History of the place was creepy, but it was quite liberating being in the quiet caves once you got used to the idea of being in narrow caves 20 m underground. We walked around a little bit, but since you can't stand up straight, it was nicer to take tiny boats that we used to float forward. Like we kept saying for 6 days on most of the things we saw and experienced: I loved it!

We got that street art

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-NTE-U79Qg 

 Yes, this blog post has a soundtrack song. Just open the link in a new tab and enjoy. :)

This one's the day before I left Tampere for my Oz adventure. :)

 

Under the bridge.

This may not be the most efficient way to reach Judy, but maybe it's worth the shot.



 

Love the colours!

Not so nice Mickey Mouse.

That rat's about to have a wet landing.

Teddy with tentacles.

Don't ask me how that got there.

 

In case you've run out of music already, here's some more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca1KuuEa5T4

 

 

Lisää kuvateksti

Lisää kuvateksti

Lisää kuvateksti

 

A little different graffitti.

 

Cat? Fox? Doberman? That beard is confusing...

 

Ally way art

Urban wildlife in CBD

Some what?

 

The Main Yarra Trail art

Fine art in Richmond



The only "graffitti" I came across in Mt Beauty. Population 2000 +. The nagging wife?

 

***

 

I'm heading off for a holiday in Perth and starting it by going to the vineyards with Jess and Esther, whom I haven't seen since January 2010. She's from Dar es Salaam and has ended up in Perth to study and work, so I'm really looking forward to see her after such  a long time! :) Sun, wine, beaches, maybe whales - here we come!