Palm Beach

Well here we are in Palm Beach, and of course I didn't do any of the blog until the end of our time, oops!!! So apologies again, for the long blog entry!  We spent the three months staying at the one caravan park, Palm Beach Caravan Park, mainly because it was cheap!!.  Its in a great spot, right near the beach and in riding distance to Tallebugera Creek and Currumbin.  Only problem was Mark having to drive an hour plus each way each day.  But work payed his diesel and this caravan park is half the price of all the others.  Plus its a nice spot for the kids and I while he works, and nice and close to my sis Megan.

This is our set up, minus the annexe that I had already pulled down.

Kids feeding a few of the locals, the bird life up here is amazing.

The view towards Currumbin from in front of the Park

The view North to Burleigh Heads

This is how Jake spends a lot of time at the beach.

Whilst here we have spent a fair bit of time in Burleigh.  Its nice and close, has a good library, a pretty beach, playground and a fantastic walk over the headlands in the forest.  The walk over, to the side and back around the headlands only takes half an hour or so.  There's some great look outs and if its warm enough we would wear our bathers and have a swim in the creek once we got there.

Burleigh looking North

Burleigh looking south

On one of our first weekends we went to Currumbin for fish and chips and a swim.  Was a magic day, kids had fun at the playground.  Then we met up with Megs mates who had a Stand Up Surfboard (or a SUP, as the cool people call it!) and that was a laugh.  Apparently I have absolutely no balance, even on a completely calm day!  At least the kids had fun jumping off it, and of course Mark could do it!

The super cool pirate park

One of the hardest things has been that Mark has been gone each day  at 630am and doesn't get home until 730pm, so he's pretty knackered and I could have been lonely.  Luckily I have had my little sis for company.  One of the most special days whilst at Palmbeach was when she planned a fairy picnic for the kids.  They got dressed up and we drove to the Currumbin Rock pools, this really lush river, waterfalls, pools and forest area.  We lugged the picnic, guitar, gifts etc over the rails and found a beautiful spot by the river.  Getting many looks from passers by!!  Then she proceeded to enchant the kids with fairy stories and even had gifts and letters from the fairies.  Jakes letter said that because he lost two teeth in one day (thanks Mrs Dentist)  he was famous in fairy land, wow was that a hit, he just couldn't beleive it and he is still going on about it!!!

Two very excited kids

The fairy party

Looking for faires, Charlotte even got to see her tooth fairy Glitter Bell asleep in the tree.

Fairy bread, musk sticks, watermelon and marshmellows, yum yum yum

Seeing Mark worked hard all week, we had to do what  he wanted occasionally on the weekend.  And of course the first thing was football, coinicidently the Bombers were playing the Gold Coast Suns.  Kids and him loved it, me I didn't mind it!!  The game got quite close in the end, you should have heard Mark yelling, he got really in to it!

Lucky we happened to have the right outfits

Someones a bit proud of his footy loving kids

As most people know, Jake and I share a brithday.  As Jake tells everyone, he was my best ever birthday present!!  So of course its usually a pretty big day.  We had lots of fun and presents at the van and then spent a lovely day out.  We were lucky enough to have our great mates the Ellis family visit.  We went out for tea at the surf club and shared a Ninjago birthday cake.  On the Saturday Auntie Meg organised to borrow a jumping castle for the day from her friend for Jake, the kids, and adults had a ball. 

Zac, Charlotte, Will and Jake

Me, oh what a fool to think I should jump and bounce on a blow up castle, I had a sore hip for weeks after!!  But it was fun

Last year we spent a lot of time with the Ellis family from Victoria, and they have ended up passing through Palm Beach while we were here.  They stayed at Tweed Heads, as they have their dog wth them.  We spent quite a few days and nights catching up and hanging out.  We said a sad fairwell for a few months, or so we thought!!

Jake got a boogie board for his birthday so we have been to the beach a few times.  He is a little gun in the waves, not scared at all.  He got dumped a few times, and just laughed and kept going.  Charlotte enjoys the little waves more!  One day I got a bit hot standing in the shallows with the kids while they body boarded.  My sis was there, so I thoguht I would dive under and cool of.  But got pulled into a rip, I was only in the shallows but there was a big shelf and drop off and I lost my footing.  Luckily I can swim, but now I see why people drown so easily.  Scared me, so no more swimming on the big beaches for us!

The park is mostly older people, the majority being friendly.  There are a few kids and it didn't take our kids long to suss them out.  They have spent a lot of time playing with Daniel (9), Holli (5), and brothers Nicholas (7) and AJ (11).  A lot of time was spent running and chasing and up the trees. 

Jake, Holli, Daniel and Charlotte

Hunting!!

Daniel, Charlotte, Jake, Nicholas and AJ doing maths (measuring)

My younger brother James was on his way north for work and stopped in for a few days and stayed for ten!!  We havent spent so much time together since we were kids.  Luckily we get on really well and had a great time togther.  The kids love Uncle James, but he does scare them a bit, but makes it exciting!  Lots of time spent at the beach, sitting in the sun, you can imagine, it was very hard to take.

Uncle James and the kids

As I said earlier, we thought we had got rid of the Ellis family for a while but not the case.  They ended up only a bit further north, so we met up in Brisbane for mothers day.  Had such a wonderful mothers day.  We met at Southbank and the kids had a swim, the Ellis boys in their clothes!  We had a great lunch sitting overlooking the beach goers (well thats code for the boys oogled the girls in bikinis!).  That night we went up Mt Coot - tha and had dinner over looking the beautiful lights of Brisbane.  Needless to say so much better than my many other mothers day spent working.

A very happy Mum

Sam and Charlotte

Will and Jake

The view from Mt Coot - tha

Hugs goodbye

Last year when we were here we went to Tamborine Mountain (the Green behind the Gold, as the brochures state).  Mark had wanted to check out the brewery, but we were a little late and it was closed.  So on his must do list was to go there. We went to the Mount Tamborine Brewery on a Sunday, sat and had a great lunch listening to some live music.  And of course Mark had to sample the wares and I drove home.....

The front of the brewery

Pet sheep

Broadbeach Blues was on one weekend and we decided to go.  They have numerous stages set up all over the area, and the best part is its free!!  Saw some great acts, Diesel, Tommy Emmanual and lots others.  Kids lasted a fair while but then they had had enough.  So we went home and Megan and Mark went back for the night session.  These festivals are one of the greatest things about being in a busier populated area!
Basically our days are spent doing school work in the morning and a little after lunch.  Then we have either gone for  a walk on the beach, a bike ride to Tallebudgera Creek or play with the local kids.  We had some long boring days, especially when it rained, but mostly we had a blast.  We couldn't go far as Mark had the car and the bus was pretty expensive, plus we were saving and not supposed to be spending.  Luckily me sis was around to entertain us!!

Then the time went really quickly and we were in our final month.  We were lucky enough to have more visits from family.  First my parents arrived, the kids Gran and Grumps.  We very patiently and excitedly waited for them at the airport, I even got a bit teary when I saw Dad waving from the plane stairs!!!  Mum and Dad stayed at Burleigh in this great apartment, so we spent a lot of time there.  My brother James also flew down again.  We had lots of fun, and family time.  The kids had sleep overs at the apartment, and we had peace and quiet!! 

Not a bad view

Mum and Dad took the kids for a walk through Burleigh Headlands and I walked from Palm Beach to meet them.  When I got there it was very busy on this little beach, they were filming a new TV series, and there was Charlotte and Gran on set watching the action.  The TV is about mermaids and Charlotte got to meet the stars, she was so so fascinated!!

The Mermaid!!

Please note Jakes hat and doll, he is one cool dude....

We took the kids out for a BBQ lunch and a play at the playground at Broad Beach playground.  They sure do have some great parks here.  Apparently this one is very new and was very expensive.

Dad hates to be annoyed while readign the paper, Megan and I have perfected the art of it!!!

We had a few mouths to feed, so we took turns in catering.  Even Charlotte had to have a go.  She's a little obsessed with Master Chef and had to do dessert but was under the pump!!

We headed out for tea to the Currumbin RSL, I know sounds daggy to those from Tassie but up this way the RSls and the Surf clubs are really popular for meals, just like the pubs at home pretty much.  We also planned to stay and watch a family friend perform with his band, but we got asked to leave.  Apparently the kids were underage!!!

Mum loves the camera, so we put on our best smiles

The golden boy

Dads girl

My side of the family always seems to be spread out across the country or the world.  Its not often that we are together for birthdays, so it was pretty special for so many of us to be in Qld for Megan's birthday.  Our older brother Ben wasn't able to make it, maybe next time!!  We all put in and bought her a sewing machine and sewing kit.  We went out for dinner to the Palmie Cafe with her firends.  Was a very social and fun night, I am told it got more fun after we left to take the kids home!!

Charlotte showing Grumps her very wobbly tooth

The birthday girl

My cousin Jack has been living in Brisbane.  He came and spent the day with us.  We had a great family lunch at the apartment then went for a walk through the headlands.  We pretty nice being able to catch up with him after all these years.  Kids even rememeber he could do magic tricks and insisted that he entertain them!

It statred to rain apparently they were taking shelter!!

The kids and I walked down and met the family on Palm Beach one lovely sunny Queensland day.  Got some nice snaps.

James 'harrassing' Mum

Mark's Mum Beth and sister Ruth arrived and we all went out for the day to Springbrook National Park.  It's a great spot, lots to look at and a few nice short walks.  We started off with a walk down to Natural Arch, a really pictureesque spot.  Apparently years ago the local teenagers swam and jumped in the river, but not now.

Ruth and Charlotte

My two boys!

Natural Arch

Grans girl

Then we went to a park area and had lunch that Mum and Dad had made.  Was very well catered!!  Then we went for a walk and check out some lookouts and walked to the base of the waterfall.  The views were amazing, you could see all the way back to the coast, very idealic.

Megan lossing to Charlotte

Beth, Ruth and the kids

As everyone knows Mark is pretty obsessed with beer and home brewing.  He heard about a local brewery and got a great deal on a tour.  So Dad, James, Megan and Mark headed of to Pickled Pig Brewery.  Apparently it was a nice little brewery and they got to bottle their own beer.  And bring a carton home each!!  Unfortunately they got stuck in the traffic on the way home from Coollie Rocks and it took hours!  Other than that they had a great time.

We managed to fit in one last swim at Tallebudgera Creek, our favourite spot.  I think there weren't any other silly people swimming!  Well actually Mark and I didn't swim, the kids got in with the uncle and Auntie!!! 

The kids were so excited to see their Auntie Ruth and Nannee.  They got to have lots of sleep overs at their cabin, walks on the beach, playground time and best of all they took them to Seaworld.  We had felt kinda bad as we had been here on the Gold Coast for three months and hadn't gone to the theme parks, but we did go last year, so it was great that they got to go.  Sounds like they had a great day and were thoroughly spoilt.

The new dinosaur area

Ruth and Jake

Charlotte and Nan

Charlotte has been horse mad for a long time.  We were lucky enough to get invited to the office lady from Mark's work, Liz's place to ride her horses.  Both kids had a go and loved it.  Charlotte was a little nervous to start off with but soon warmed up. Liz taught her lots, I was surprised by how much she was able to do.  Jake had fun, a little too much!  He had only just hopped on and he was trying to convince Liz to let him jump over something with his horse, no fear what so ever.  Then he kept going "look, no hands".  Liz soon made him get off the horse!!  Charlotte loved it so much we went back the next weekend and had another riding lesson.  We have told her we will try to take her to more lessons as we travel around.  Especially as she kept going on and on about getting her own horse one day!!

Charlotte, Liz and Strider the horse

Jake and Flash

One of my friends, Rachel, from back home moved to the Gold Coast when Charlotte was two.  Charlotte and Rachel's daughter Olivia played together lots when they were little.  Rachel and I had lost contact but I looked her up through face book and we caught up.  The kids all got on like a house on fire.  Charlotte and Olivia were best mates straight away, Charlotte even had a sleep over. 

Brooke, Charlotte, Olivia and Jake

So as you can see, we had a pretty good time at Palm Beach.  Mark worked damn hard for three months, long hours and lots of driving.  I joined Nursing Agency Australia and did a few shifts.  Enough to pay a few bills.  Just wasn't easy to work around Marks work and shift availability.  I did a few night shifts and days, thankfully my sis could watch the kids the next day so I could sleep for a few hours.  I worked at four different hospitals, and a different ward each time.  They were all pretty busy shifts and I even had to be in charge, crazy I know!  But the positive was I got to do some different nursing and stretch myself, was a bit scary but I did it!  Now we have packed up and are on the road North.  We plan to holiday for the next two to three months with the aim to be in Alice Springs by end of September for me to start work.  Sorry it was such a long blog, hope you didn't fall asleep.  Bye for now.

The trip north March 2012

The time had finally came, and we were on our way back to Brisbane to collect our van and to restart our trip.  Adults and kids both sad and excited.  Very much looking forward to going on the Spirit to Melbourne.  Charlotte spent the hour lined up for the ferry, hanging out her window waving her stuffed Animal (from the Muppets) to everyone.  When we were walking around on the ferry, people kept saying hello and that they saw her earlier, she decided she was famous now!!  Had a lovely crossing, and a very early morning the next day!!

Goodbye Devonport

 We were up bright and early and saw the sun rise over Melbourne.  Saw a beautiful sight as we drove through the city.  These five big hot air balloons floated over, looked spectacular.  We headed to the nearest McDonalds for breakfast and to do our online lesson with the kids teacher in Tassie.  Not so easy as the kids were pretty tired after the excitement of  leaving and the early start.

We went to visit our friend Megan and her two children for lunch in Doncaster, Melbourne.  It was so nice to catch up again, we last saw each other almost a year ago on our way up north on our original trip.  Her son Thomas was at school, so the kids played with Hannah.  Girls had a bit of fun dancing etc.  I went with Meg and picked Thomas up from school, then they all had a great play together.  Was amusing listening to the boys discuss the merits of Lego!!

We stayed the night in Melbourne at my Auntie and Uncles house in Brighton.  Auntie Jill cooked a lovely dinner and the kids had a great time playing with the dog and annoying their second cousins!!

From Melbourne we headed North.  First stop was the Dog on The Tucker Box, an iconic monument that we missed on the way up, that Mark has been on about since!!  The monument was inspired by a bullock drivers poem 'Bulluck Billy', about a dog that guarded its owners tucker box.

Last year we spent a lot of time travelling with the Ellis family from Victoria, Dan, Kaz, Sam, Will and Zaccy.  We last saw them 6 months ago in Calliope QLD.  It just worked out that they are heading north as well and we were able to meet up with them.  Seeing we didn't have the van, and we were too tight to pay for motels we bought a tent to sleep in instead.  You can imagine my delight when I realised the Ellis's had set up camp in Jugiong.  We were there almost a year early on mothers day and it was the coldest foggiest place ever!!  Luckily this time it wasn't cold but it did rain of course!! 

We arrived at the showgrounds and could see the Ellis van in the distance.  They must have spotted us too as the kids started running towards us.  Was fabulous to see them all again, the look on the kids faces was priceless.  We spent a great couple of nights camping with these guys.  Us in our little tent and them in their van.  Kaz and Dan even cooked all the meals, we were definitely well looked after!! 

We headed out one day to Gundagi to check out the sights.  First stop the visitors info centre of course.  We then checked out a look out or two.  Looked at the old bridges and went to the park.  Gundagi was only recently flooded.  As we were standing watching the kids on the play ground Kaz and I were debating how high the river rose.  When we noticed weeds from the river stuck in the top chains of the swing.  So in other words, it got pretty high!!!

We sad a sad good bye, well not really that sad.  We are seeing them again when they stop off at the Gold Coast on the way through, then we are going to check out FNQ together!!!!  

Next stop was Wollongong to see my big brother Ben.  We decided to stay in a cabin that night, we got in lateish and it was wet!  Then we met Ben and went out for dinner.  We went to this beautiful Thai restaurant, Thai is my absolute favourite food, was a gorgeous meal.  Was so nice to see Ben again, if for just a short visit.  Only a few more days until Mark has to start work, so couldn't stop longer.

Then we headed north but inland a bit to Singleton.  Back to see our mates the Betts family, Simone, Rohan, Luke and Piper.  Once again another great catch up, good friends, great conversation and wonderful food.  Makes me sad that so many of our friends are spread out now, makes it great to visit but hard to say goodbye.  Kids got on like a house on fire, as you can see by the photos!!

It was too far to drive all the way to Brisbane on the next leg, so we headed to Tenterfield.  With a stop off at Tamworth on the way for lunch and the obligatory photo with the Big Gold Guitar.  We camped  the night at the showgrounds, nice spot by the river.  We had just set up when this old bloke came over and started chatting to me about Tassie.  Next thing Mark walked out of the tent and said hello Rob, turned out to be his second cousin from Tasmania, small world heh! 

We made good time and reached Redland Bay before lunch.  We were so excited to see our mates, Lee, Meegan, Carly and Sophi, and of course our van.  We had only meant to leave our van for a few weeks, ended up being far far longer.  So many thanks to our wonderful friends for babysitting it for us.  We had a lovely day swimming in the pool and a BBQ lunch.  Then hooked up and headed to Palm Beach, as Mark starts work in the morning.

So we have arrived on our next leg of our journey.  We plan to stay 3 or so months in Palm Beach QLD while Mark and I work to recoup some money we have spent on the way.  My sis Megan lives here, so am looking forward to lots of sister time.  Will try to do a blog entry while we are at Palm Beach so I stop doing such long ones!