Our Hiking Blog

We continue our series of interviews with interesting outdoor people we have come across in recent times.

Sarah came to out attention after reading her great trip report on hiking the Overland Track in Tasmania (although Frank is a bit disappointed with the Lake Will page being protected)  She just seemed to be having so much fun and wrote in an enjoyable manner we contacted her  seeking an interview. She happily agreed,and we present Sarah Lambert (a very busy woman who loves the bush!)

1.  How about a bit of background on yourself. Live where? Work where?

I’m a singer, song-writer, IT manager, and mum. I was born in Sydney (Australia) and lived there until my 20′s when my partner and I and our 2 young sons did the “sea-change” and moved an hour and a quarter south to Wollongong, where I still live.

Sarah Overland Track Tasmania

It’s a beautiful environment, with some of the south-east coasts’ best beaches and also good stands of local rainforests nearby, with creeks running through it and little waterfalls. I’ve always been a regular swimmer. I work at the University of Wollongong. You can check out my local beach here.

2.  How did you first get into bushwalking / backpacking? Any particular mentor or group?

My dad used to take me camping a lot, and mostly we went with my aunt, uncle and cousins. We went to the south-coast mainly, within 2-3 hours of where I now live in Wollongong. Jervis Bay, Wombeyan Caves and Kangaroo Valley were regular camp spots.  Places by rivers generally, so the kids always had something to do. Later Dad got a bush block and we used to camp on it, there were no houses or anything on it, just bush with a big river and we used to swing on a big rope out into the middle and drop into it with a crash.

About that time he then got a Trakka Campervan (the newer Volkswagen Kombi) and we did some trips in that also. My cousins and I have remained pretty “outdoorsy” I guess you could say, doing walks and camps from time to time. My eldest cousin is pretty amazing, she got into the whole rock-climbing thing a few years back which I thought was awesome. (But not for me… I hate heights!)

3.  Solo or with someone? Who is your preferred hiking partner?

It’s no fun on your own!  I like to go with my sons, by my eldest is too old now, and not really a fan. Likes to be within broadband internet contact at all times. LOL. But my youngest quite likes camping, and we’ve done a few walks together. Mostly I hike with a group of friends who I met through singing, not long after I moved to Wollongong. There’s a couple of opera-singers in the group, so you can hear us coming along the track, that’s for sure!!  We recently did the Overland Track in Tassie.

Overland Track - Tasmania

4. If you had a couple of months off just to hike, what would be the three multi day hikes you would complete?

Sticking to “in Australia”, then the answer would be: more in Tasmania and also the Blue Mountains. I prefer the colder climates – the thought of hiking in Tropical Queensland for example, just doesn’t do it for me. I definately want to do the Bay of Fires walk in Tassie, and would like to do the nice and easy 3 day walk around Freycinet and Wine-glass bay. I want to do that during summer so I can actually camp right down there on the beach.

There are heaps and heaps of walks in the Blue Mountains and I haven’t done many of them, so that is certainly on the agenda. Probably in autumn so you can work up a bit of a sweat on the hike and then cool down in the waterfalls at the end of the day. If you try this in spring, the water is cold enough to give you hyperthermia – no thanks!

5. Alright, unlimited finances, money and time what would be the three multi day international treks you would complete?

Firstly, I am a real foodie so I want to do those walks in Italy and Spain where you walk into some awesome chateau each night and they treat you to a deluxe banquet of local food and wines and then you sleep like a queen and go and hike it all off again the next day. I’d like to do a couple of 5-7 day walks like that, but they cost a bit!!

Next, I am going to go and walk all over the Lake District in the north of England, which is where my dad was born. His sister and husband still live there with all their family (I have lots of cousins) and they are all Scouts and “trampers” (as they call hiking over there). I want to do this soon and with my dad’s sister – she’s no spring chicken, but currently still walking and travelling.

6. My three favourite bits of gear are? Why?

Thermarest mattress (I actually have significant back problems, so I really look after my back); my mini-gas cooker (did I mention, I’m a foodie, if I can’t get a good hot feed at end of hike, I am a very grumpy camper); my Keens boots (they are magnificent! I love watching the thick goopy mud and stuff just roll off that goretex!!)

Risotto Dehydrator

7. I really hate it when I am bushwalking / backpacking and …..?

Hmm, that’s tricky. I guess I’m not keen on whingers on the track (suck it up mate!), also not a fan of the know-it-alls who want to bang on about the latest high-tech this or that. And sometimes when you’re walking and you’ve found your rhythm and the environment is serene and quiet, you know, you’re in “the zone” – I hate it when along comes somebody who can’t stand the quiet and wants to start up a conversation or just blather on. Completely ruins the moment.

I have discovered that ignoring them or dropping hints never works. Lately I go for the direct approach – “mate, I can’t hear myself think, is it ok if I stop and let you pass so I can re-find my zen?!?!?!?”

8. I knew we were in trouble on that trip when …….

We got into the campsite real late, with the dark-grey clouds rolling in and the sound of thunder as well, and most spots were taken, but we threw up a tent in a great spot that nobody seemed to want even though it had heaps of space. Only to find that it was a natural water-course. And when the rain started in earnest, it pretty much took our tent with it. Ahhhhhhh, you live and learn.

9. What trips have you planned in the next 12 months?

My girlfriend has a campervan, and we’ve done some awesome trips in it of late. I really want to go to Lake Mungo this year (spooky dry salt-pan environment with big boulders and aboriginal artifacts), it’s been on my list for a few years now and I’ve still never been there.

We’ll be going back to Wee Jasper again (great dog-friendly campsite by a river in the dry inland parts) – but this time with a bunch of mates, and their dogs.

Wee Jasper swimming

We want to take the van and dog down to some sites on the Murray River (that’s a pretty big famous one here in Australia) and I’m sure there’ll be some great walks there. I’m going to Tasmania again in March for work, and I’m trying to convince the girlfriend to do a 3 day walk with me – but I don’t think I’m winning at the moment! I think we’ll be doing the romantic cabin by the beach with plenty of day-walks. Can’t say I’m complaining! I think my next big hike will be when the bunch I did the Overland Track with decide on their next one, I’ll just tag along. They’re talking New Zealand…. I’d be up for that.

10. What is your favourite outdoor website?

Camping with dogs websites , also the various websites for Australian National Parks – which changes depending on the location of the next trip.

Sarah & Mischa Beach

11. What is your favourite outdoor hiking gear store?

Here in Wollongong there is a terrific outdoors store called Bushcraft Equipment that does all the good gear, clothes, boots, tents, packs, cookware, gadgets, the lot. The lady who is their resident shoe expert got me sorted with my Keens. She’s pretty cool. A bit of a sock-nazi…… you know, what weight of sock with what type of boot etc but I reckon she knows her stuff…. They’ve got this specially constructed wooden ramp thing that goes up then flat then down, so you can really take the shoes through their paces.

Mischa in the Van - this dog goes everywhere!

Sarah maintains a terrific personal blog, DreamThinkPlay chronicling her very busy life around Wollongong and beyond. Please take the time to check it out, made us feel very lazy.

Many thanks to Sarah for agreeing to be interviewed. It was great fun.  Have you got a story to share? Know an interesting outdoors person? We would love to interview them for Our Hiking Blog, drop us an email here and we will do the rest. It is very painless.

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