Brisbane Trip Day 14: Gold Coast -> Brisbane

Another early morning for me and I sat on the balcony using the computer. The kids eventually stirred and we ate chocolate croissants and donuts for breakfast. Tony FaceTimed us - with Winky (the cat) on his knee looking healthy and happy - she'd been missing for a couple of days and it was a massive relief to see her. I'd been having such a good time and also feeling bad that I was so happy while the cat had potentially disappeared. I had a shower then packed while the kids watched some YouTube videos. I was all packed up before 9.30 - it's so much easier when it's just our stuff and not the tent as well! I took one load of stuff down to the car, then got some ice for the eskies (there was an ice maker in the corridor) and loaded myself and the kids up with another load to take to the car. The kids sat in the foyer and I asked the concierge to bring down the rest of the luggage, then I went and checked out. When our luggage arrived I went to get the car, and loaded it all in. I moved the car back down to the carpark near the trailer and headed back inside.

We headed back through the gift shop and up to the monorail station - Amelie was excited to finally get to go on the monorail. We did one circuit around SeaWorld and enjoyed seeing everything again, and it was fun seeing it from that perspective. Back at the resort the kids sat in the foyer while I went down and hitched up the trailer. It was SO hot - mid 30s at least, and very humid. I'm glad I didn't have to do a full pack up. The kids came down once I was ready, and we drove out to Paradise Country, the 4th attraction on our unlimited access tickets.

The drive from Wet n Wild to Paradise Country was a longish road with lots of speed humps. We drove through the paddocks holding the horses for Outback Spectacular, that was pretty cool (we'd seen the horses from the top of some of the rides on Monday, that was also cool). I pulled into the carpark and realised that it wasn't a loop and there was nowhere to park the trailer, so I had to back out. I got most of the way then a guy came and helped me with the last little bit. I parked in the 'additional parking' area and managed to find somewhere in the shade that would be easy to get out of.

The walk to the entrance was quite long, sunny and very very hot. Amelie really found it hard and I did wonder if it was worth it. We went in and tried to find a water fountain but there didn't seem to be one. We went down to the animal nursery and fed some goats and sheep, thankfully in the shade, then went into the barn and fed piglets, alpacas, ducks, more lambs and kids. It was fun, especially helping one of the keepers try the piglets on apples.

We decided we'd experienced enough so made our hot way back to the car, and drove back to Wet n Wild. I dropped the kids off and found somewhere to park the trailer - it was a fair way from the entrance but it was, again, in shade. Once inside we parked our stuff on the tables, got into our swimmers and refilled our soft drink cup (we had to pay a reduced amount to reactivate it). Liam and Caitlin went to the wave pool and Amelie and I went to the Junior slides. I did the mini tornado with her, then the mini half pipe, and she did all the other junior slides. One of them she was sitting and sliding slowly down and a kid came barrelling down headfirst behind her and ran into her - he and his parents thought it was hilarious, Amelie wasn't so amused.

We played together on the water playground for a while (I wasn't allowed on the slides there but could climb and walk around). We went into the Junior pool and the other kids came back. Liam and I went on the tube river and floated around once while the girls went on the junior slides again. They met us at the river and jumped in for a circuit as well. It was very refreshing and relaxing.

Amelie wanted to go on Mammoth Falls again, so we headed over there for a fun raft ride down the half pipe. We had a quick swim in the wave pool then back to get dressed again, feeling much cooler than we had been earlier in the day. I'd promised the kids a bucket of soft serve ice cream if we got the chance, so we took it in turns to add ice cream (vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and choc mint) and toppings (caramel, chocolate, lime, and sour worms, jelly beans and gummy bears), refilled our soft drink again, then reluctantly left our last theme park. (We'd thought about going back to Movie World again, but it had been such a perfect day yesterday that none of us really wanted to spoil it). I was impressed on all 4 days, at all 4 parks, at the staff - everyone was friendly and helpful and enjoyable to talk to.

We ate our ice cream as we headed towards Brisbane. The traffic was heavy but was moving the whole way. The ice cream was delicious and the toppings good, but the lollies were a bit much and most didn't get eaten. We saw DreamWorld on our way past and compared some of the rides there to what we'd been doing. There were still no caravans on the road - really odd. As we approached Ipswich we finally did see a caravan being towed - the first one (and no camper trailers) we'd seen since just north of Byron Bay.

We arrived at our friends' house around 4.45pm. My kids and the other kids were so excited to see each other and settled straight into playing on the trampoline and in the backyard. We spent a relaxed evening in and out of the house, watching Netflix, playing with the kittens and playing games. My friend and one of their kids came home from dancing later in the evening - it was so good to see her. The kids set up lots of mattresses in the lounge room and they all slept out there (all 7 of them). I slept in one of the kids rooms after a long long chat with my friend.

Brisbane Trip Day 13: Gold Coast

I woke early due to the curtains being open and the sun rising so early in Queensland. I had a nice long shower then spent some time on the computer. I woke the kids and we got ready for our day before going down to breakfast at 7.30. I had a 2 for 1 adults breakfast voucher so Caitlin ate for free, and the other kids cost $1 per year of age - which meant a full buffet breakfast for the 4 of us cost $51.50. The kids enjoyed it SO much (and so did I). We ate bacon, eggs in various forms, sausages, tomatoes, potatoes, waffles, pancakes, maple syrup, croissants, danishes, cinnamon rolls, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, juice, tea and coffee, and ice cream with topping (Caitlin and I didn't have any ice cream). Everyone ate as much as they could and it was all delicious.

Upstairs we finished getting ready then went to the car to drive to Movie World. We arrived just before 10am. We'd seen the DC Rivals HyperCoaster on Monday when we were at Wet n Wild, but looking at it up close from the Movie World Carpark made it look quite terrifying - and the thought that we COULD go on it today made it much more real. We sat and watched it and the Green Lantern coaster (which had several upside down bits and a drop that curved back in under itself) then realised we could scare ourselves out of doing anything if we stayed watching for too long so we headed in to the park.

There was a very excited vibe to the park and I was happy to be showing the kids somewhere I'd been before (although it had been over 20 years and most of the rides have changed). We wandered up the main street and found Green Arrow doing photo opportunities so Liam jumped in with him. The girls lined up for a photo with Wonder Woman but she finished before they got to the start of the line. We looked around for a shop to buy a refillable soft drink cup from - I'd promised the kids we'd get one today, but most places only had pink and we wanted black (a lady at Sea World yesterday had said Movie World had better colour choices, turns out we probably would have been better off getting the blue SeaWorld one and using it again today). Anyway, after checking in several places I finally was able to purchase a black cup. The kids were in the Looney Tunes kids area and went on the Sylvester Bounce and Pounce - a kids version of the ride that lifts you way up high and then drops you down fast. This one wasn't very high, and wasn't fast, just bounced the kids up and down for a while. They had fun. Caitlin was allowed on because she's 13 - I wasn't allowed on as an adult.

We all went then to the RoadRunner coaster. The guy let Caitlin sit with Amelie - he asked if she was 14 or over and she gave an affirmative kind of noise. Liam sat with me. The restraints covered both people in a seat, which meant that Liam and Amelie both had a huge gap between their legs and the bar, because Caitlin and I are so much bigger. Amelie said she wanted to get off, and the guy was really lovely about it. He talked to her about whether she'd prefer to sit with me and assured her she was safe, but she was adamant so he let her off and Liam moved to be with Caitlin which felt safer for him. The ride was fun - a little scary but not terrifying and I imagine a 2nd ride wouldn't be scary at all. Amelie waited for us and then went on the Carousel with Caitlin - she sat on Sylvester and was thrilled as he is her favourite Looney Tunes character. The kids all went on the Sylvester and Tweety Cages then had a look at the other kids rides while I talked to a lady who had just been on the DC Rivals HyperCoaster. She said it was terrifying and the drop was like no other drop she'd ever experienced. Her description was enough for me to decide I was definite NO for this ride.

We went to watch the Stunt Driving Show - it was very loud so a bit uncomfortable for Amelie but the show was fun. It was hot sitting there watching it - I'm glad the seats were in shade!

Seeing a 4D movie was high on everyone's priority lists so we went to the theatre for the next show. It was a road runner show and pretty fun, our seats moved around a lot and there were noises from all directions, sensations on our feet, and water sprayed on us. Amelie was worried she wouldn't be able to see properly and knelt on her seat, and was able to experience most of the effects.

Whenever we walked past a clothing store Caitlin had a quick browse as she wanted to buy some t-shirts. As we walked around the park there were often superheroes or Looney Tunes characters out offering photo opportunities or performing a little display, so we got many photos with various people as our paths crossed. Amelie went up to CatWoman who was draped on a car and had a little chat. CatWoman said 'Bye Cutie' as she left which was pretty thrilling. When Caitlin went over CatWoman told her she liked her hair (still in braids).

Caitlin and Liam went on the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster (after seeing Batman pass by on the Batmobile) and Amelie and I went on the bumper cars. We met up with the others who both wanted to take me on the Spooky Coaster, and went back to the bumpers. The 4 of us had 3 or 4 more goes. Amelie had to sit with me but she drove (and I could reach the accelerator and help with the steering if she got stuck). She was pretty good at steering and avoided a lot of collisions which I think I would have become part of. Afterwards we watched the Doomsday Destroyer which performed in a similar way to the Pirate Ship at Australia's Wonderland, the one that went all the way over. I enjoyed watching it and was considering whether I could still do it. We had a play with a touch screen code cracking puzzle in Lex Luthor's van.

The big kids went to have a look at the shops again and Amelie explored Charlie's Chocolate Factory then she went on the Bounce and Pounce again. We headed down the other end of Main St to look at the scary rides and sat watching the Arkham Asylum Coaster for a while - a suspended roller coaster (I went on something similar (or the same one?) last time I was here, it was called Lethal Weapon then.) Everyone was hot and tired and we were going to head back for some lunch, then Liam and Caitlin decided to go on this coaster while we were there. They enjoyed it, Caitlin in particular - Liam found the harness didn't quite hold him in place so when the ride twisted or went upside down, he shifted in his seat a bit.

We went back and sat in the main tables in Main St, and Amelie got to give Sylvester a high-5 when he was getting ready for a photo shoot. We ate some lunch and got some more photos, saw Wonder Woman stop some robbers and CatWoman fight off 3 policemen. After we'd eaten some lunch we went and browsed the shops and Caitlin picked out and bought 3 t-shirts. We lined up then to watch the parade which was enjoyable. The kids were able to high-5 several of the superheroes or Looney Tunes characters as they walked back up Main St, and Marilyn Monroe came over to Amelie and said 'Would you like an ice cream Princess?' and gave her a Magnum. Thrilling for all of us!

Caitlin and I went back to the Scooby Spooky Coaster while the others went to the chocolate shop. Amelie filled a tube with sour powder and happily worked her way through that for the rest of the day. I was pretty nervous and I found it pretty scary - it was dark and I couldn't tell what was going to happen next. It actually helped that Liam had told me a bit about it so some things weren't as scary. At the moment all the special effects aren't working so it might even be scarier when they are in place - or maybe just more fun. I found the bit that wound from side to side quite scary - as we went around each sharp bend I leaned way out to the side and it felt like I was going to fall out. I screamed a lot and the guy behind me thought it was pretty funny.

We met up with the others and went to the HyperCoaster. Liam and Caitlin went and lined up and Amelie and I sat and watched and freaked out a bit at the thought of them being on it. The kids came back out after a while, very full of adrenaline and went straight back on it. They said it was really really scary on the first drop, and a bit on the second drop, then really fun. (It's a long coaster). Liam and I went back to the Scooby Coaster and this time I enjoyed it a bit more and screamed much less (still a lot by Liam's standards). Caitlin took Amelie on the Road Runner Coaster - she was ok with it but didn't like the track sloping sideways so much. Liam and Caitlin decided to go and try the Superman Coaster - I'd decided against it because it goes straight up. Amelie did the Bounce and Pounce again, then the Taxi Ride - she got to drive a taxi around a course, and because she was the only one there she had to keep getting out and moving to the first taxi in the queue each time she finished a circuit. She did 5 or 6 circuits then went to the Junior Driving Course. We walked through the Splash Zone to cool off a bit. We finished off on the Carousel, she sat on Sylvester again and I sat on a bench seat. The others came up as we finished - they'd loved Superman and said it was incredibly fast - faster than the JetSkis the day before. They'd also done the Green Lantern Coaster and enjoyed it, even the upside down bits. The kids were so excited that they'd been on all the roller coasters that were open.

We popped back into the chocolate shop and Liam bought some fudge, then into another store to buy some presents. We filled up our soft drink cup one more time (it had been great having that with us all day, cold drinks anytime we wanted them) and finally headed out to the carpark. Everyone was seriously exhausted and very very happy, it had been a fantastic day. I walked to the very far side of the carpark to try to get a photo of the DC Rivals coaster - I had to go that far to fit it all in one shot. The kids rang Tony to tell him about their great day, and we drove to a nearby shopping centre.

We popped in to Coles and bought roast beef and deli salads for lunch, and some pastries for breakfast tomorrow. The kids headed straight up to the room when we got back to the resort, and I followed a bit later after organising some things. On the way to the room I noticed people coming from the pool area - I checked and it was open! They had obviously finished their maintenance. We ate some of the beef and salads and put our swimmers on and excitedly headed down to the pool. It was a lovely temperature and a great place to swim. I taught Caitlin and Liam some tumbling tricks and we all swam around and enjoyed the refreshing swim. It was so great that we had got the discounted rate because the pool was closed, and then we still got to swim in the pool anyway! At 8pm there was a light and music show in the splash zone and the kids went and had a bit of a play and a dance. They wanted to try the sauna so we went and sat in there for a while and sweated a bit, then went back to the spa - a great way to finish off a very tiring day. We'd walked 38000 steps in 2 days - a big effort!

Back at the room we finished off our dinner and set up the beds, this time Amelie slept on the floor between the 2 beds, Liam had a bed to himself and I shared with Caitlin. The kids played briefly on their iPods and were all asleep by just after 9.

Ocean Grove Trip

I hadn't done much preparation for our camping trip (we've been quite busy lately, and I'd just spent the weekend in Sydney for my sister-in-laws 40th), so we packed our clothes the night before, I put the awning canvases and the tarps back on the trailer the night before, then we did the rest on the Tuesday morning before we left and were away by 11. We got petrol and came back for a few things we'd forgotten, then were properly on the way by 11.30.

I stopped just out of Geelong because I was feeling pretty tired. I had a snack and walked around a bit, then the kids got frozen slushies from Hungry Jacks and we bought some fruit and veg from a little shop at the roadhouse. We continued on and reached Ocean Grove a bit after 2.

3 of the other homeschooling families we were camping with were already there, and another family joined us each day then went home of a night (they only live half an hour away). I set up the tent while the kids played with their friends, then the kids all did the watermelon challenge - putting rubber bands around a watermelon until it explodes. The top of the melon cracked and popped open and it felt like a bit of a let down, so the kids kept putting rubber bands on even though we thought it probably wouldn't explode now that the pressure had been let out. They put a few more on and it suddenly exploded upwards, covering one of the girls completely in watermelon and hitting everyone else, and spreading many metres out from the blast zone. It was hilarious and a lot of fun.

The kids rode their bikes and played in the playground and after a while LiAM and another boy went over to the beach (his mum and I went too). They built a big wall with a hole behind it that they tried to keep filled with water, as the tide was coming in the waves were filling the hole and knocking down the wall and things became more challenging. It was cold and windy on the beach, quite grey. The boys had a lot of fun and came home a little bit wet and very happy. The boy's family went home after we got back, they were only staying the one night as they had things on for the rest of the week, so LiAM was a little disappointed that his friend had left, although we will see them again soon.

I went to the shops to get food for dinner, we had hotdogs for tea in the camp kitchen. The others were around too, getting their own dinner and we chatted and played. After tea Caitlin went for a walk to the beach with the older girls, and the rest of us went to bed and read for a while, Caitlin came in not long afterwards.

It was sprinkling in the morning and I hadn't put the annex up because I thought it wasn't going to rain. I moved things that I didn't want to get wet and went to the camp kitchen for my cup of tea. Gradually everyone else woke up and wandered to the kitchen and we had breakfast, the kids played games and we had a nice easy morning as the weather cleared up. There was more playing in the playground and lots of bike riding, then in the late morning we all headed over to the beach. It was sunny by now, but the wind was still pretty cold. 2 of the older kids went out surfing, and I went in the water with my 3 kids and Amelie's friend. It was very cold, and the 2 younger girls soon went back to play in the shallow waves at the edge. Caitlin, LiAM and I went out a lot further - it was shallow for a very long way and the waves weren't big, it was fairly easy surf to swim in, just really really cold. The kids had wetsuits on so they coped with it a bit better than me. Eventually I felt like my reflexes were getting a bit slower because I was so cold so I went back and sat on the sand in the sun to warm up. The kids played in the sand and after a while Caitlin went back in with the older kids and was able to go out further to where the water was a bit deeper (and it wasn't as rough there as I'd feared). They had a go at boogie boarding but the waves weren't quite right.

Amelie had had enough of the sand after a while so she went back to camp with some of the others. Her friend's mum had brought kites along, and LiAM and the other younger kids flew them on the beach for a while, the wind was strong and the kites flew really well. We wandered back to camp and had some lunch, the kids played in the playground and rode their bikes and the mums sat and chatted. In the afternoon we went strawberry picking at a local farm, the strawberries were fresh and delicious and it was a lot of fun. Afterwards LiAM sat with me and the other mums and dipped all his strawberries in cream - very enjoyable.

We all had dinner together that night, a few of us went to get roast chickens and hot chips, and we had a bit of salad and stuff too and we all ate in the camp kitchen together (it was really well equipped, and had lots of little tables and a great big table which fit most of us around it (there were 13 people altogether). After dinner Millie's friends went to bed, and once it got dark the rest of us walked over to the beach to see if we could see the Aurora Australis - it was supposed to be a good night for it but it was cloudy and so not possible to see anything. The kids had a play on the sand in the dark and it was cool to be there watching the surf and the night sky. When we got back Amelie and I wandered off soon afterwards, everyone else went back to the kitchen for a games night and played cards and other games until about midnight.

It was raining again in the morning, a bit more heavily this time, so again I had my cup of tea in the kitchen and the others wandered in one by one. We had breakfast then played Racing Demons, which the kids had learnt the night before. After a while we switched to playing Burn, and some of the others joined us. Amelie went to play with her friends in the playground, and everyone else played Burn for a few rounds (9 of us) which was a lot of fun.

By now it was midday and quite sunny again. We all went over to Barwon Heads to get ice-cream - it was delicious! We wandered around the shops for a while, while Millie and her friends went to the playground, then the rest of us met them there. The playground was right on the river, overlooking the bridge between Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove, a beautiful spot to play. Caitlin and LiAM explored the sandbanks in the river then LiAM and I walked back into town so he could buy something from the bakery.

The older kids wanted to go to the lolly shop in Ocean Grove, and Amelie chose to stay with her friends on the condition we could go to the lolly shop again tomorrow. Caitlin and LiAM selected their lollies and I grabbed a few too, then we headed back to camp (with one of the other boys in our car, he'd been with us all day). The mums sat and chatted again at our campsite while the kids rode their bikes and climbed trees, and when Amelie and the others came back they played in the playground.  The others (except Amelie's friends) were leaving this afternoon so they finished packing up then we talked at the car while the big kids rode their ripsticks.

LiAM wasn't feeling well and had a nap and Caitlin crashed on the couch in the kitchen once everyone else had left. I cooked some dinner and the kids played, LiAM had a shower and then joined us as well. We had a relatively early night and read Harry Potter for a while.

It was sunny on our last morning so I went for a quick walk near the edge of the river then had my cup of tea at the tent. As the kids woke up they had breakfast then they went down to the kitchen to play cards while I packed up. Amelie's friend's Mum packed up as well, then she took all the kids down to the other playground while I finished off. We all met in the kitchen for lunch and then headed off. We drove over to Portarlington to the lolly shop there and met up with the family who'd been coming over each day. We bought our lollies then sat outside at a cafe with them in the warm sun and had the most magnificent milkshakes we've ever tasted. I reversed the trailer out of the tricky spot that I had parked in (feeling much more confident about my reversing now) and we headed to Geelong where we called in to see Amelie's friends again. The kids all had a wonderful afternoon playing with all their games and activities and I had more time to chat to their mum. We left around 6.30 which meant we missed the traffic on the Ring Road and had an easy trip home, arriving just after 8.30.

Half-lap Day 46: Darwin and LiAM's 10th Birthday

The kids had asked if they could wake everyone up for LiAM’s birthday as soon as anyone woke up – we said that was OK as long as it was light. LiAM and Millie woke when it was still dark, and chatted excitedly to each other until it was light enough for them to be a bit louder and wake Caitlin up.

Once we were all out of bed Tony started cooking the bacon LiAM had requested, and we gave him his presents. Millie gave him a couple of little Minecraft figurines (a rabbit, and Steve in a minecart), Caitlin a watergun that can shot continuously when it’s in a pool or attached to a bottle, and a little plush crocodile, he got a card and money from Grandma and Grandad, and a shirt and an interactive Skylanders colouring book from my sister (there’s an app to download and the coloured pictures move on the iPad when you scan them). I had one more present for him and could not find it anywhere, which upset me a little but I figured that it would turn up when I did a clean out of the car and he could have an extended birthday.

He loved all his presents and spent most of the morning colouring in his Skylanders book. Millie received her presents from my sister as well – a watermelon swimming top and a metallic colouring book. She had so much fun colouring that she didn’t want to stop, ever, when we asked her to get ready for our day out.

After bacon and eggs for breakfast and a couple of hours spent colouring and hanging out at the tent, we drove in to Darwin to Crocosaurus Cove, a crocodile place right in the centre of town. LiAM and I had booked in for VIP Croc Feeding Tour, and Tony and the girls paid for regular entry. We walked through the entrance hallway and came out near some crocodile enclosures with glass (actually acrylic) sides, we were at the base of the enclosures and in one the croc was lying on the roof of a dome we could walk under – he was massive, it was incredible to stand right underneath him and get an idea of how big these big old saltwater crocs can get. We saw a few other crocodiles and some fish then went upstairs where we saw some people getting lowered into the water in the ‘cage of death’ – a glass cage which goes into the water with the crocodiles and they swim around it. LiAM had really wanted to do this but he needed to be 15 so we settled for the VIP Tour. We watched them for a few minutes then popped in to the reptile house where they were feeding the reptiles, it was cool to see lizards chasing insects, and pythons starting to work on eating rats and mice. There was a talk as well, and as usual our kids were up the front and answering lots of the questions.

LiAM and I left to go down and wait for our tour to start. There were 8 people in the group, including 2 other kids. We started by going upstairs and looking at all the saltwater crocodiles and our tour guide told us their histories, which were quite varied. From there we went to a little balcony above the enclosure that housed Burt – the saltwater crocodile who was in Crocodile Dundee. We each had a turn at holding out a stick with a large piece of chicken tied on to it, for him to reach up and snap the chicken off the end of the string. LiAM volunteered to go first – everyone else was a bit nervous. He held his pole out confidently and Burt snapped it 2 or 3 times but the chicken was still on there, then he closed his mouth on it and wouldn’t let go of the string. LiAM and the tour guide held on to the pole and pulled it back, and eventually got it free of his mouth. It was pretty exciting to watch. A few other people had a turn then it was my go. I hadn’t been scared at all until I stepped forward and grabbed the pole and really thought about the fact I was about to lean towards a very large saltwater crocodile (the glass railing we were behind was quite high and it really was quite safe, but even the thought of interacting with him at all got some adrenaline flowing). I held the pole out and he snapped the chicken and again wouldn’t let go – his bite force was strong (not surprisingly) and it took us some time to pull the string free. I wasn’t scared once he started trying to eat it, I was just really excited, it was a great experience. A couple of the poles snapped a bit as people tried to pull them back and the pole got pushed against the railing. The 2 men on the tour were able to pull the string free more easily, I think their extra height meant they could get a better angle. It was amazing to watch him eating even when the others were feeding him, he easily came up out of the water, to snap the food, and he moved so quietly and quickly. He wasn’t jumping up, just lifting his head, then he’d go back to lying in the water on the ledge. Caitlin wandered past just before I fed Burt so she went and got the others and they were able to watch me feed him.

From there we went to feed the juvenile freshwater crocodiles, there were over 100 crocs in there, of varying sizes (all the same approximate age though – the dominant ones get more food and grow faster). Again we held bits of meat over the edge on a pole and string and the crocs jumped or reached up to grab them. Not quite as thrilling as the salty but still quite exciting to watch and to do.

Next we held a baby crocodile – he had his mouth taped shut and everyone got to hold and pat him and take photos. He was surprisingly soft, his scales didn’t feel rough at all. He was pretty cute. Our guide chatted to us during the whole of the tour, sharing lots of information about crocodiles in general and about the ones who lived there in particular. She was impressed with LiAM’s enthusiasm and asked if was going to work with animals when he grew up – she said she’d worked with dolphins, and something else, and now crocodiles, and it was a great job to have.

The tour guide then took us to the reptile house and handed us over to a reptile guide, Nicole. We were given cold bottles of water, Nicole introduced herself to all of us and then asked what kind of reptiles we’d like to hold. She started with a sand goanna called Blaze – it was a beautiful reptile with yellow markings all over it. LiAM went first again, and everyone had a hold then Blaze went back to LiAM. Nicole let him hold on to it and he walked around for the next 20 minutes or so with a goanna climbing all over him – up his arms, around his neck, over his shoulders and sometimes sitting on his head. He loved it. Nicole talked to us about all the different types of reptiles they had there, then we held a frill-necked lizard which was pretty exciting. She put it away after a while, and Blaze as well, and bought out a baby frill-necked lizard. She handed it around, then pulled a Stimson’s Python out of her pocket – very cool to see a snake casually get pulled from a pocket. He was fun to hold, he coiled himself around our hands and was quite comfortable being passed around (he wasn’t very big). Putting them away, she bought out a white (not albino) blue-tongued lizard, and a black-headed python. Most people had a turn of the python, and LiAM and the other 2 girls loved holding him, they shared him around and at one point had the python draped across the shoulders of the 3 of them.

Nicole was great to listen to and again LiAM impressed her with his knowledge and interest. She said that most of the staff at Crocosaurus did work experience there, then got a job while they were at school, then stayed on and have learnt everything just by working there – sounds perfect for the kind of thing LiAM would like to do.

Tony and the girls came in towards the end of the tour and were able to pat the python. LiAM got a bite from the white lizard as he was handing her back – that’s 4 reptile bites he’s had this trip and he was thrilled. Tony went to move the car and the girls stayed with us – eventually the reptiles had to go away and we went outside to have a bit to eat. We sat where we could watch the fish feeding and Tony was back in time to see it too. They had barramundi, whip rays, saratogas and archer fish – watching the rays come up to be feed was really cool, and the other fish where interesting too. The barramundi were huge, I’d only seen smaller ones so far on this trip.

The girls and Tony had had fun while we were on the tour – they’d watched the biggest crocodile being fed, seen a demonstration of the croc’s bite force, fed the freshwater crocs and held the baby crocodile. The difference between the tour and regular entry in that case is that we were able to take our own photos of the baby crocodile, generally they take professional photos which you can choose to buy. LiAM was a bit disappointed that the girls had been able to do so much of what he’d done on the tour, it made it feel a bit less special – but having had Blaze on his head for so long was a bonus that he thought did make the tour worthwhile. For me, feeding the salty was the big deal, but he wasn’t as excited about that.

Tony left again to go and meet up with an old friend – a guy he went to school with in Malaysia, 30 years ago. The kids and I got into our swimmers and went to swim ‘with’ the freshwater crocodiles – there’s a pool right up next to the juvenile freshies, with the nice thick (14.5cm) acrylic wall in between the 2 bodies of water, so when we were swimming we could see the crocodiles seemingly right next to us. The glass was a bit clouded and scratched so it wasn’t super clear, but we could still see them right there, and with goggles on under the water it did feel like they were right next to us and they were much clearer. There were some cracks in the wall on the crocodile side which alarmed Caitlin at first, but the wall was solid on our side so it was fine.

We swam for a while then got out to do another feeding of the juvenile freshwater crocodiles. There was no one else there so we were able to each feed a few crocodiles. The lady was impressed that the kids were happy to bait their own hooks with the meat. LiAM said that he’d done this earlier on the VIP Tour and she said ‘Oh, so it’s your birthday!’ – they’d obviously been talking about him. She said ‘I’m glad you’re here, I have a present for you’ – and gave him a crocodile tooth, which she’d picked up earlier – a fresh tooth from one of the freshies. LiAM was thrilled as he’d been thinking about buying a crocodile tooth. He now felt that being on the tour was completely worth it, as it had indirectly lead him to getting the tooth.

The kids went back in the water once we’d finished and I took some photos of them, then had another quick swim myself, it was quite exciting to be looking at them from in the water and really seeing them move around. We got out and the kids got changed then rushed off to hold the baby crocodile again. They got heaps of photos taken, and I was in a few as well. We looked at them on the computer and most of them were fantastic – but so expensive and everyone was happy just scrolling through them and enjoying the photos, then leaving. We wandered through the display of different types of crocodilians, amazing to see the different jaw and skull shapes of them all. We went to look at all the crocodiles for one last time, including standing up under some little domes where we could look at baby freshwater crocs at ground level, that was pretty cool. Then into the gift shop, where Millie bought a magnet and everyone bought a squeezy tube with pictures of crocodiles on it. I thought about buying some things as well, then decided to save my money til we got to the markets later.

We went across the road to Shenanigans (an Irish Pub) and found Tony and his friend and chatted to them. The guys finished their beers and the friend suggested we leave our car at his place and walk to the markets from there rather than try to find parking at the market. We headed back to the car and then to his place, and realised that sunset was fast approaching and we might miss it. I was a bit disappointed (especially on Tony’s behalf, he’d missed the sunset on Monday night too as he was buying the chips) but everyone else was relaxed – if we see it, we see it, otherwise we’ll just enjoy the markets.

We parked the car, met Tony’s friend’s son, and the 7 of us walked down to Mindil Beach. When we arrived the sun had set, but the sky was still orange and blue and reflecting amazing colours in the water. We hung out on the beach for a little while, watching the sky, and then LiAM talked to my parents for a while for his birthday. The V8 Supercars are on in Darwin this weekend, so there was lots of V8 stuff happening at the markets – we’d missed the drivers signing autographs, but the V8 girls were still around and Caitlin and Tony got their photo taken with them. We wandered along the food corridor – there was SO much choice it was very hard to decide. Tony and Caitlin chose Indian (and Millie shared with them). I had Indonesian – beef rendang, vegetable curry, chili eggplant, chili anchovies, coconut rice and peanut sauce – so delicious! LiAM had a crocodile burger. It was very crowded, hard to keep track of each other as we walked along, it was nice to sit in front of the stage and eat and listen to the music being played. The kids had a bit of a play in the playground in between eating their dinner.

The kids bought some little helicopters that were launched by rubber band and lit up in the air, they were pretty cool. Everyone was hot so we went back to the food aisle to get ice cream or smoothies. LiAM and I had pina coladas (so tasty) and Caitlin and Millie had ice cream – Caitlin’s was home made and magnificent, Millie’s was quite tasty too. Tony shared a bit of everyone’s. We wandered through the market stalls after we’d eaten, and looked at so many amazing things. Lots of clothes and lights and bags and decorations and pictures, people playing music and fire twirling, and so many other things. I finally found some indigenous art that I liked and could afford. I spent ages deciding between a painting of a crocodile or a turtle – I bought the crocodile. I bought it from the artist himself and had a good chat to him about his art and name and country. Tony found a stall selling cream to help with cracked skin – he’s always looking for something to help his hands as they get so dry when he’s working. This stuff starts with a sea salt scrub and then a moisturiser, and he liked the way it worked so he bought some. Millie found a dolphin necklace that she loved – it was at a stall where the lady writes things on grains of rice then puts them in pendants. Millie took a long time to decide exactly what she wanted, and eventually bought the dolphin pendant on a pink chain, with ‘Amelie’ written on the rice. It’s really gorgeous.

We were all pretty tired by now, so Tony went to get the car and bring it closer now that the carpark was emptying out. We kept wandering and LiAM found a duck whistle that he loved and bought, and Caitlin a lovely necklace. LiAM also bought a little amethyst, which is his birthstone. We met Tony in the carpark, where LiAM surprised him with his duck whistle, then headed home.

Millie was nearly asleep when we got back (after 10.30) but woke up enough to have birthday cake. LiAM loved his R2D2 cake, and we all had a piece (it was quite tasty and not stale which I had been worried about – the box was damaged so I got a discount but I didn’t know if the quality of the cake would be reduced) and went to bed to read Brisingr until I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore.

Lorne Homeschool Camp 2016 - Day 2

I woke a few times in the night thinking that it was morning - then realised that there was a street light not far from our tent, and I'm used to sleeping in a much darker environment. LiAM and Caitlin woke early and went for a walk down to see the beach (and found a dead crab) and then had a wander around the campsite. Amelie and I woke up to what sounded like raining but was actually cockatoos on our tent - and all over our table, finishing off the remains of the chocolate bavarian which I had forgotten to put in the bin. Amelie played in the tent while I sat outside and had a cup of tea and read my book (Enders Game - fantastic! Better than the movie, which I really loved). 

Caitlin went over to the Foodworks to get a few more supplies for breakfast (Amelie wanted crumpets, Caitlin wanted yoghurt), and we ate at our table. Caitlin took our 4 year old sandcastle friend to the playground, and Amelie had a bit of a play there too once I said I'd stay and watch. M arrived after breakfast and she and Caitlin went for a walk up the street to browse the shops and buy ice cream. LiAM, Amelie and I went down to the beach, Amelie played on the sand and LiAM and I went in the water, it was so much fun swimming with him. The waves were smallish again, but enough to feel like we were in the ocean. At one point I saw a shadow in the water (we had been watching out for crabs as someone saw one in the shallow water the day before, and there was a bit of seaweed around too) and realised it was a stingray swimming parallel to the shore, straight towards us!!! I grabbed LiAM and pointed it out, and we stared it for a few seconds, then as it got close to us it turned and headed out to sea, and we turned and ran into shore, hearts pounding, and laughing and laughing. It was exciting and scary and exhilarating and very cool! 

We were going to head back to the tent, when LiAM's friend K, and Caitlin and M and her Mum E came down to the beach, so we went in the water again. LiAM was quite nervous and didn't want to stay in very long, and I found myself watching shadows a fair bit as well. I got out and was talking to E at the waters edge, and the girls buried our legs up to our knees in wet sand - it was a bit tricky getting out, they did quite a thorough job.

We went back to the campsite and LiAM and I played cards in the tent, then he went to find K, and Amelie and I played cards. LiAM came back and we had some lunch, (I had toasted sandwiches on the camp stove - delicious), and when Caitlin came back we got ready and went up the street to have an ice-cream. Everyone was feeling a bit flat so a walk and a treat was just what we needed. On the way I ran into another homeschooler I have met before, and we introduced our kids to each other. She has an 8 year old girl, A, who likes similar games to Amelie, so we agreed we'd get them together for a play later on during the camp.

We bought LiAM some new thongs, then went to the Stone Cold IceCreamery, where they add little extra bits to the ice cream if you want them too. I said I would buy one scoop and one add on each, and LiAM decided to pay for an extra scoop and 2 extra add ons himself - he had boysenberry and english toffee scoops, with kit kits, peppermint aero bar, and flake. He was very happy with his selection. Caitlin had raspberry sorbet with popping candy, Amelie had rainbow with nerds, and I had Baileys and Scorched Almond with Peppermint Crisp. We went across the road to the main playground and ate them there - LiAM and I sat at the table and ate our cups, the girls ate their cones while they played. We stayed and played for a while, then walked back to camp via the beach. On the way we met M and E, so walked with them, and decided to come back up to this main beach where the flags were, for a swim.

Ice Cream on an elephant seal

So back to camp (with a small backtracking walk for me as I'd dropped one of Amelie's shoes on the sand and wanted to go back and find it before the waves got it - which was a good choice, as I had dropped it near the water's edge, and up ahead I saw a lady pick it up and move it above the tide line, very thoughtful) and then into our swimming gear and back down to the main beach. The waves were bigger here, and it took LiAM a little longer to get used to the waves - he came in with me and at first stayed quite shallow then moved out further as he got more confident. He was happier swimming here with more people too as he felt there was less chance of a stingray coming in close to a crowd. Caitlin and M went out past the break which they said was pretty awesome. I swam with LiAM for a while and dug in the sand with Amelie for a while and talked to E for a while. Amelie had her shovel and rake and some buckets this time so digging and creating sandcastles was even easier.

Once the younger 2 had had enough we went back to camp and the kids played the computer in the tent, everyone was exhausted again. Caitlin came back with the others when they were done, and we decided to get fish and chips and eat together. We left all the kids at our tent and E and I walked up the street to buy the food - we met some other homeschoolers on the way and walked with them to the far end of the main street, then walked back down to the fish and chip shop we'd been looking for. It was crazily expensive, and we walked back up the street to see what the others were like - all very expensive, ($9 each for a piece of fish or a plain hamburger) so eventually we went back to the first one and got our food there, then back to the kids and ate at our table overlooking the river.

LiAM went inside to play the computer, Amelie snuggled up with me and then went inside after a while, and Caitlin and M chatted with E and I for a while, then decided that perhaps they could go and sit with the teen group, who were playing music across from us. They went for a while but didn't find it very interesting and people didn't really speak to them, so they called it a night. We were all in bed a bit earlier this night, a full day outside and lots of time at the beach was quite tiring.

Queenscliff 2015 - Day 3

Tony left very early (before 6am) to get the ferry back across to Sorrento and drive up to work - it was sad to say goodbye and have the rest of the holiday without him there, the kids all missed him too. I was the first one up again but didn't want Millie to come out to an empty kitchen if she woke early, so I didn't go out my own today. Mum and Dad got up and went for a walk, and when Millie did wake up she and I went out for a wander. It was quite cold - we actually went back to the house to get pants and a jacket for her, and I was wearing a jacket as well. Such a change compared to 24 hours earlier.

Millie rode her scooter and we went up to the park looking over the tugboats and across to the ferry terminal. We walked down the steps and out onto the tug jetty a little way, and explored the sand for a while, then the cold wind and the bits of rain that were falling on and off sent us back home. We spent the early part of the morning playing Uno Spin and running up and down the verandah with T, having breakfast, reading, doing puzzles. Mum, F and I went down the street and had a coffee, then Mum wandered off to explore more shops and F and I stayed and chatted for a while.

Millie walking down the 100 steps to the beach

It really doesn't look like summer in this shot!

Riding her scooter in the maze, with 'our' house in front of her

The kids had missed out on ice cream the day before (they were going to go after bowls, but the shop was shut by then), so as soon as we could see that it was open the kids and I went over and each bought a choc sprinkle waffle cone with 2 scoops. We walked down to the playground near the ferry terminal and the kids played while they ate their ice creams. When we got back Caitlin and I went next door to the op shop and found a huge pile of clothes for her, and some last minute christmas presents, and a snow cone maker!

In the afternoon I made snow cones for everyone which was a bit exciting. The weather was slowly warming up, so we started to get ready to head back to the beach. Millie really wanted to wear a skirt and I hadn't packed one, so she and Caitlin and I went to the op shop down the far end of the street and she found a beautiful skirt and shirt set. The staff also gave the girls some santa candle holders for free, they were pretty happy. We picked LiAM up on our way back past the house and went down to the beach for more swimming and running and digging in the sand and exploring the rock pools a bit. After our trip to the beach the kids each had a spa bath after negotiating who would go first, 2nd and 3rd (balancing desire to get in and have the spa, with the knowledge that whoever went last would probably get to be in there longer).

For tea we had a couple of family sized gourmet pies which were delicious. Afterwards we played Wits End again, with Mum and Caitlin joining in as well, it was a lot of fun.

Running on the beach

Queenscliff 2015 - Day 1

Once again this year we went to Queenscliff for the weekend before Christmas, with Mum and Dad, and my sister and her family. We stayed in the same house and it was wonderful - LiAM said it felt like we lived there, and I felt like we'd come home. So great to be somewhere familiar that we all loved.

On Friday night (before we left) Caitlin was going to a sleepover and we were all going to see the new Star Wars movie (C at her party, and the rest of us together), so I had planned to be packed for the trip before we left for that at 3pm, so that we could leave early on Saturday morning. Friday was so hot however that I wasn't able to concentrate much on getting ready, and I couldn't get the food ready or clean up the kitchen because it was just too uncomfortable in the kitchen. So I got up early on Saturday to clean up and finish packing, and we didn't end up leaving until about 11. Extreme fire danger also meant that there was a bit of preparation to do around the house and yard before we left, and I dropped off our boxes of precious things to a friend's on the way.

We took 2 cars so that Tony would be able to come back for work on Monday morning. He took the kids and picked Caitlin up from her party on the way, then drove down to Sorrento, where he met his Dad who was driving down to Victoria for Christmas, and had decided to come that way so that he could see us on the way through. Tone and the kids left the car in Sorrento and caught the ferry across  to Queenscliff with his Dad - Millie saw her first dolphin in the wild, and Caitlin saw seals as well. The kids all enjoyed the ferry trip.

I drove around the long way, stopping to buy fresh berries and cherries on the way, and then stopped regularly to check out the fire situation, as there were a few fires around that I wanted to make sure I avoided. I stopped in Point Cook to do some groceries for the trip, and Mum and Dad (who had also left later than planned due to bushfire preparations) were not far behind me so they stopped and joined me for lunch. With all my stopping and starting I didn't get to Queenscliff until about 5, by which time it had started to rain and the temperature dropped around 17 degrees (it had been 40-44 degrees all the way down, it was around 27 when I arrived).

When I got there the kids were playing with their cousin, T, who is nearly 2. He was excited to see me and took me into the kitchen to show me the toaster - toast is his favourite food at the moment. It was so much fun all weekend to listen to him talking and share his excitement about EVERYTHING. Such a fun age.

We had fish and chips for tea while Dad, Tony and Caitlin played a cricket board game we'd bought down. I played Uno Spin with the other kids and we had a relaxing evening. I hurt my knee again while putting the fruit in the fridge, so spent a fair bit of time on the couch with an ice pack. Mum took the kids for a walk and Tony and I sat out on the verandah for a while. We could see the ice cream shop from where we were, with lots of people going in and out and eventually decided we would join the crowd. It was packed, and the ice cream was delicious. The kids were home when we got back, they'd had a paddle in the edge of the ocean, and were happy to just share our ice cream, with the promise that we'd get them some more tomorrow.

F, Caitlin, Tony and I played another board game - a wine game that I'd given Tony for christmas last year. It was fun, and the conversations we had were hilarious (mainly due to my tired brain mixing up words). Caitlin and F won, using some clever strategies. Millie fell asleep on my lap and LiAM took himself to bed. Caitlin decided to sleep in the front room by herself so took herself off and read her book until she was tired enough, and Tony and I crashed after a long, hot day.

King Valley Trip -> Day 3

We slept a little better the 2nd night even though it was still very cold. No one slept in for very long in the morning and we had crumpets and porridge and hot chocolate around the fire. Caitlin and LiAM and I went for a walk back along the river, as the light was better today - it had been cloudy all day Monday and this morning the sun was out - so Caitlin got to explore the river as well, and I took some better photos.

Morning on the river

Autumn colours

Once the air started to warm up a bit Caitlin was back in the water. I had been thinking about it the day before, and seeing as it was sunny and the fire was raging I decided to give it a try - I knew I'd be disappointed if I didn't get in the water at least once. Caitlin was very excited when she saw me coming in and happily gave me her kayak. The water was painfully cold, but sitting on the kayak wasn't too bad - until I got the shakes from cold and from fear of falling in, and I was wobbling a lot which increased my chances of falling in... I managed to calm down and stop wobbling and kayaked up and down our little area - I love kayaking and it's been a long time since I had a go, so it was very exciting and a lot of fun.

I didn't stay in long, and happily dried out in front of the fire. Millie wanted to go in again although in the end decided not to. LiAM and Caitlin were in and out all morning. Caitlin also did a bit of bike riding. The kids played on the river bank and around the fire and Tony and I played with them or relaxed or pottered around.

We put our bike rack on the car, then tried to put Tony's bike on but it was a bit tricky, and he didn't have a helmet with him, so we decided to leave the bikes home for today. We wanted to visit Bright (we'd driven through before, but not spent any time there). We set off in the early afternoon, and listened to a combination of Frozen and Saddle Club on the way. It was a clear afternoon so I suggested going up Mount Buffalo on the way - something I had wanted to do when we were in the area 6 years ago but the mountain was covered in smoke from burning off fires. Everyone agreed to the mountain detour, so I happily headed up the mountain once we got to Porepunkah. It was a 35km drive to the top of the mountain, and it was windy and a little scary at times - driving up we had the mountain rising steeply to our left, and dropping away sharply on the right. Even though it was across the other side of the road, knowing that drop was there had my heart rate elevated and my breathing quite shallow. LiAM didn't like it either. Thinking about driving back down made it worse! It was a long drive and Caitlin started to feel a little unwell, so we had windows down and everyone snuggled under their jackets for warmth, so that Caitlin could get a little fresh air. The views on the way up were impressive - some out across the valley, and others of rock formations on the mountain itself, or waterfalls, as well as a lake and some plains - it is a beautiful mountain. The last little bit of road (3km) was gravel with very tight hair pin bends - and we finally made it to the carpark at The Horn - the top of the mountain.

I had one strong moment of vertigo when I walked to the (well fenced) edge - I stepped back a bit and let my head adjust and then I was fine. Looking across the top of the mountain range was pretty cool. LiAM was happy to look at the view then wanted to go back - he wasn't a big fan of the height either. We wandered around at the end of the carpark for a while, then headed up the 1.5km track to the The Horn. It was steep in places and all up hill, Caitlin and LiAM and Tony charged ahead and Millie and I took our time. Great views on the way up as well as cool trees and rocks to check out in close up. The view from the top was a 360 degree view across the top of mountains. Definitely worth the drive and the climb. We could even see Mt Kosciuszko across in NSW. There was a distance marker there showing where all the mountains were and how far away they were - made everything seem much closer compared to the distance it would take to drive to them!

View from the carpark

View from the top of The Horn (showing the windy road we'd come up)

At the top of Mount Buffalo

As we were ready to go back down we noticed some cloud coming in over the next ridge to the north west. By the time we were halfway down we were completely in the cloud - I love bushwalking in cloud and really concentrating on the details of the trees and rocks close to the path, it's just as spectacular as being able to see the view. The carpark was a bit spooky - looking over the edge into complete whiteness - very cool. We sat and had a picnic at the picnic table - and by the time we'd finished, the cloud had moved on, although was still in the valleys so we could see the tops of the mountains, and were looking down on the top of the cloud. Also very cool.

Cloud rolling in

View from the carpark in the cloud

View from the carpark once cloud moved on

I decided to drive back down - I knew in theory that I would be able to do it, even though it scared me, and I wanted to tackle that fear. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, even the bits next to the drop off. I took it very slowly and felt much better once we were back on flat land, I'm pleased that I did it though.

We got to Bright around 4pm and went for a walk along the main street. We popped into the lolly shop at the end of the street and the kids each picked something to buy, we also got some mini marshmallows to use with bananas and chocolate in the fire. We walked down the other side of the street and stopped in the other lolly shop, the kids had ice creams and Tony and I had a coffee. Nice to sit in the warmth and have a treat all together. From there we walked down to the river where we found a great playground. It was dusk by this time, however the playground was well lit and there was enough light for us to see the river for a while. I left the others to finish playing and walked up to the supermarket to get some more supplies, Tony and the kids picked me up on the way through after getting some hot chips to eat on the way home (in case anyone fell asleep in the car before we had dinner).

We had run out of gas in the morning and hadn't been able to refill it in Bright (we were there too late in the day) so cooked our dinner on the fire - potatoes in foil in the coals, and some bacon and vegetables in the frypan. Delicious. Millie had fallen asleep in the car so we put her to bed in the tent. Caitlin and LiAM filled bananas will mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces and roasted them in foil in the coals - also delicious.

A very pleasant evening around the fire, then into the tent to read some more Eldest. It was cloudy by this stage and although it was still cold it wasn't quite so freezing. I'd also rearranged the bedding a little - Millie was no longer interested in sleeping in her sleeping bag on the floor, so I added her mattress to LiAM's bed, and I put a large piece of carpet (that we use to cover the trailer) under LiAM and Caitlin's beds which created quite a bit more warmth.

Queenscliff Trip

On Saturday we headed down to Queenscliff for 3 days away with Mum and Dad, and my sister and her family. On the way we stopped at Tony's cousin's house as we were thinking about buying their camper trailer (they have just upgraded to a caravan). We hadn't seen them for ages (nearly 2 years we think) so it was great to catch up and for the kids to play - LiAM was able to play Skylanders and the girls played on the swings and Millie set up a bit of a tea party for us. We set up the camper trailer and chatted about how and when to use it, and did decide to buy it - very very exciting, I've been wanting one for a few years and I'm thrilled to have one now!

We arrived at the house we were all sharing around 5.30 on Saturday afternoon. The others were already there and settled in. We explored the house and played with the baby and chatted to everyone and felt very relaxed and happy to be away for a few days. We had fish and chips for tea, then Tony and Dad and the kids and I headed down to the beach to see the sunset. Tony had thought we might see the sun set over the ocean because of the angle of the peninsula - and he was right. We arrived just in time to see it hit the ocean horizon and were able to watch it set - beautiful. The kids paddled in the edge of the water then started jumping the little waves, and eventually moved in as far as their knees and slightly bigger waves - they were all saturated and very happy by the time we headed home. The kids started a game of Monopoly back at the house and the adults played Monopoly, did puzzles, read books etc until we all went to bed. The kids and Tony let me sleep in the front room by myself on the sofa bed so that I could have a sleep-in the next morning - very much appreciated.

Sunday was a relaxing day with a leisurely breakfast, and then everyone in and out of the house doing various sight seeing things as the mood struck them. We had trips to the beach, to the shops, to the train station, in basically every combination of kids and adults. Tony and I had some time together browsing the shops, F & J were able to go out for lunch on their own, and the kids went out at various stages with different people, one, two or 3 at a time. Dad and I took the kids on a steam train ride which we all enjoyed immensely. We had a couple of trips to the beach each day - and discovered that at low tide, the beach where we'd watched the sunset turned into a series of rock pools which led to safe, calm water for swimming, and lots of chances to see sea stars, crabs, fish and heaps of plant life. With so many adults around it meant that usually each child could go home or go out when they wanted to, there was generally someone happy to help them out, and others could stay longer or not go out at all and it worked very well.

Monday was similar to the day before, lots of outings and lots of hanging around at the house. There was a great selection of games in the house - Monopoly, Uno Skip, Pictionary, which we played quite a bit. F had also brought along a trivia game which we played on Sunday night.

Tony left early on Monday to head back to work, and it was a bit weird not having him there - I kept waiting for him to wander out into the living area, I missed him quite a lot.

One of the highlights of the house for the kids was the spa bath. After each trip to the beach they returned home and jumped in the spa - a great way to warm up (the weather was a bit chilly at times) and relax and really feel indulged on our holiday.

My highlight of the weekend was an early morning (7am) walk to the beach alone, and a swim in the ocean. The tide was up but knowing where the rock ledges were meant I knew where the water would be safe - the swim bought back many memories of swimming in the ocean early in the morning (for a few years I did it every day). I felt so happy and excited and calm (all at once) in the water, it was an amazing start to the day. I walked home around the beach and headlands where there was only a tiny gap between the rocks and the water (tide was coming in) and got wet once - it felt like an exciting adventure trying to beat the waves around the headland.

On Tuesday morning we all packed up in a leisurely fashion. F & J left around 11am and the rest of us were ready to go around midday. Mum and Dad were coming home with us as Tony had taken their car on Monday. The 6 of us went down to the observation tower near the ferry terminal - LiAM had been keen to go to the top all weekend. The view from the top was fantastic, seeing the headlands on both sides of the bay and out to the ocean, and the bay and shoreline in all directions. From there we went back into town and got a big bag of lollies each from the lolly shop and a gelato from the gelato shop (we'd had an ice cream the day before from the Swedish ice cream shop), then headed towards home.

We stopped in Geelong for pizza for lunch and for me to pick up Caitlin's christmas present (a RipStik), and then again at Tony's cousin's to pick up the camper trailer to bring it home - I was a little nervous driving with a (very heavy) trailer in peak traffic, and down the hill at Christmas Hills, but it wasn't too difficult and I made it home happily without incident.

(I have photos to add, once my internet speed is faster and can actually hang in there long enough to get the photos uploaded...)

NSW Trip Day 21: Holbrook -> Home

LiAM and Millie and I were up first and we went outside to sit at the table in front of our room and write in our diaries/blog. The guy from the next room came out with his toddler son to go and look at the birds, LiAM and Millie were interested too and LiAM had a good chat with him. The kids and I popped down the street to get milk and bread for breakfast, then we ate and packed up. We were ready to go by 10 but I couldn’t see Millie’s iPod Touch anywhere – she doesn’t think she took it inside but it wasn’t anywhere obvious in the car. We spent about 45 minutes looking in the car and the room for it, with no luck. I imagine its in the car somewhere, underneath stuff that we weren’t easily able to move without unpacking the whole car…

The motel people said they’d send it if they found it and we left to go and see the submarine (stopping at the Foodworks on the way to see if we’d left it there – no). From a distance the submarine looks simply yellow, up close it looks amazing – every imaginable shade of yellow, in knitted, crocheted or woven pieces of every size, all joined together to form a giant cover for the sub. Some of the pieces had knitted animals attached to them, or woven in as part of the pattern, some had words (including one that said Liam), others had plastic sea creatures attached – it was fun exploring all the detail, even in the rain. The yellow wool is a yarn bombing exercise that has been done in time for some wool festival. It had only been installed the day that we arrived and will only be there for a month, so it felt like good timing to be in Holbrook!

Approaching the Submarine

Close up with sea animals

From there we went to the Holbrook bakery where they sell the best pies in Australia, according to my brother (when I asked at the info centre the girl there confirmed that they were the best). Tony, Caitlin and I had pies (mine was satay chicken, theirs were plain pies) and yes, they were magnificent. LiAM and Millie had sweet pastries which were also delicious.

We left Holbrook in the rain for almost the last leg home. Again we had a pleasant drive, listened to Harry Potter and talked about where we were, what we’d do when we got home, and played iPads/Pods. Just after I drove past the last roadhouse before we turn of the Hume Freeway, I realized we needed petrol, so we went into Benalla to get some. While Tony was putting the petrol in I realised we were opposite a McDonalds, and I’d promised Tony that at some point on our trip we could have soft serve cones from Maccas – so I popped over and got one each for the kids and Tony which was a nice little treat for the way home.

Mum and Dad had suggested we could call into their place in Yea on our way through, as they had a birthday present for Millie, so we did that. Great to see them and also Buckley our dog and all of our chickens (our chicks are now almost fully grown and the ‘baby’ roosters are crowing). Millie loved her presents – a fold up camp chair (pink) and a great hot pink and black dress, with black leggings. Everyone had lots to tell and show everyone else, then we had some cakes and sang Happy Birthday to Millie again, then had a bit of a play, and Caitlin watched some of Dance Academy – very exciting to see all the places we had been on Wednesday!. We were getting ready to head home as it was approaching tea time, so decided it was easier to stay there for tea and come home fed. It was a pleasant evening and then I got very tired before the kids were quite ready to leave, so I had a shower and that refreshed me enough.

Blowing out more candles in her new outfit

We got home about 8.45 and unpacked the necessary things from the car. Caitlin watched some more Dance Academy, LiAM played on his iPod, Tony watched the football, Millie went to bed. I pottered around a bit, settling back into home and feeling good to be here. Weird though to have no animals here – we’ll get the cat tomorrow and the other animals in a few days.

It was a great trip and I am feeling so much more relaxed and re-energised after it. Looking forward to whatever comes next and hoping I can carry my current state of mind into non-holiday activities. To keep up with what we’re doing day-to-day you can check out my other blog at seekingjoyeveryday.blogspot.com.au