Lake Mountain

This winter dawn on us so quickly. The first few days of June was filled with rain and this week started off with a cold snap that brought hailstorm. I was awoken by the hailstones falling down on our roof at 4am on Tuesday.

Heavy snowfall this week at the alpine region so we decided to head for some snowplay on Friday. It's also the kids' School-Free day.

It's a 2-hours drive to Lake Mountain. We would have to drive pass Marysville, a quaint little town with many shops for ski hire and we stopped there last year for hot food. But it's now all gone. The town was burnt down during the bushfire on Black Saturday..there was only the remains of the destruction of the fire...the whole town basically flattened out. There was a detour as we can't actually drive through the town. It's all condoned off either by police or for reconstruction.

Just after Marysville, before we reach Lake Mountain, was previously a beautiful forest of lush greenery...but now, on both sides of the road, blackened trees and browned forest. Quite an eerie sight. I guess the snow seemed to have come early this year to cover up horror of that day...

Up at Lake Mountain, it's business as usual with quite a number of families and groups of students enjoying the beautiful snow...

This was the 'highlight' of the trip...
That's Tricia going down the toboggan run... and she didn't stop! This shot was taken just before she fell over the barrier (where the orange coloured plastic barrier is)... Arrrgghhhh... I was coming just behind her and I saw her disappear into the barrier....

That moment, I just prayed that she didn't fall too deep down... For Tricia to fall over, it was just that split second but for me to get up from my toboggan and climb up the little slope to see where she was seem to take forever!

And when I looked down...I will always remember her little face, looking up at me...and SMILING! I knew at that instant that she's not hurt but in a hurry, I wanted to get to her, and of course, I slid down myself!!! So there's 2 of us...and a toboggan! Papa came and picked up the toboggan and we managed to climb back up... So, Tricia, are you scared? O no, not at all... But no more free falling down. Must steer the toboggan! Apply brakes with your feet!

See, I can still play... The snow is about 40cm deep...

And snowfight!

See how useful the toboggan is?

That day, Timothy had his own 'accident' too. A snowball flew straight into his face! OUCH!!! Must hurt a lot! I thought he would burst a few blood vessels in his eye..but, nah! Just some tears to wash out the dirt and he's back to snowfight.