Watery Pursuits

Sorry I have been offline for a few days, this holiday lark is pretty tiring, and what with beaching and sightseeing, lots of Lonely Planet reading, a little bit of wandering around quaint little national trust gift shop/fudge/home made ice cream villages, worrying that I should be doing more school work with the kids and beating Alex at scrabble, there is hardly any time left at the end of the day to do the really important things in life, like write the ol' blog, and for that I am very sorry. Also, after my monumental thirteen fillings and one extraction last year and the fact that I am now a stressed out thirty seven and a half year old mother of two, I have recently had to add flossing of the teeth and de-puffing of the eyes to the end of the night routine. Sometimes I wonder how I ever get time for sleep at all!

Here are a few of the things we have been up to since we last caught up.

Kayaking on Lake Durras - honestly, Benny and I spent more time going sideways and backwards than forwards. Not once, but three times, we got pushed back to the shore, it was hilarious. Alex kept shouting 'Est, paddle' - I was paddling so hard, blisters were forming on the inside of my thumbs just trying to stay still!







Alex and Naomi got stuck on a sandbank, Naomi was the official 'puller outer'.




Then some wandering on Huskisson Beach in Jervis Bay.







Then a nice fresh fish and chip dinner on the wharf, whilst taking in the paddle boarding and the pelicans.












The next day, a dolphin watching tour from Jervis Bay, which is also a marine park.










Yes, you're right, the second one isn't a dolphin at all, it's a seal - waving!




Yesterday we went through a beautiful little place called Berry, where there was a delicious bakery (The Berry Bakery I think it was called;) and we had a wagon wheel which was THIS BIG! And the chocolate was THIS THICK! I kid you not, it was like being ten years old again. We shared it between the four of us, and there was still some wheel left over!

Then to Kiama for the main attraction there, blowholes! Thanks Fanny for the tourist info:)

The Big Blowhole - can you spot us???




And the aptly named 'Little Blowhole' which was just as impressive- Benny loved it, he got thoroughly soaked, it was like one big shower and when the water came up it made a rainbow in the evening light, beautiful:)



Love
Est xxx

It can happen anywhere

I found this article online, thought I would share it with you,

'With all the news on TV about the hurricanes that America has experienced, the typhoons in China, bush fires in Australia and mud slides in South America, we shouldn't forget that the UK has its share of devastating natural disasters too.

Below is a photo illustrating the damage caused to my home from the earthquake that occurred recently.

It really makes you cherish what you have, and reminds us not to take things for granted.

Do take care of yourself and be safe.'




;)

Love
Est xxx

Australia - it's just one Big Free Zoo!

As well as the stunning sunning seals and exciting fox encounter in Rye, here are a few of the Aussie animals we have seen on our travels in just the last four days.

A cockatoo in Sale - obviously also looking for some bargains (we must have read the same flyer..geddit?) - new mirror, bell or handbag perhaps?



Pelicans in Lakes Entrance, these little scavengers were all surrounding the local fisherman, who very generously threw them the fish heads (er...yum).





Benny was keen on crab hunting in Merimbula. We found one!



We sat and had lunch outside a beautiful cafe, gift shop and art gallery and enjoyed the view of the camel in the next field. Yes, I did say camel!



Rainbow Lorikeets in Merimbula, we have only seen them in the zoo before. Aren't they just beautiful?







And, just this morning, at the lovely Lake Durras campsite in the Murramarang National Park - kangaroos. Everywhere!









They were wonderful to watch. Benny and Naomi were delighted. Benny noticed that that campsite owners don't have to mow the lawns, as 'they have about a million lawn mowers here'.

Then, 'they do have to pick up a lot of poo though!'.

Love
Est xxx

Carry on Glamping

We are back on the road again! We have had four nights in the campervan up to now, and it is going well, apart from the fridge isn't working very well (there is always a drama, there are just too many things in a campervan to go wrong, it would be unrealistic to expect everything to work all the time - at least our wing mirror is still in one piece this time, I never thought before, but does that mean Alex is doomed to have bad luck for the next seven years - do the same rules apply for wing mirrors?) and yesterday I had the domestic challenge of putting out two loads of washing out with six pegs, but apart from that, all good.

We are currently in Batemans Bay. This morning we woke up in a five star camp site with a view of the sea and even music in the 'cleaner than my house' bathrooms. It was Elton John when I got in there and I thought, 'oh my god, save me, did I pay £50.60 (I know!) per camping spot per night for this??' But by the time I had finished it was Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2, and I didn't want to leave! The shower was probably one of the best I have ever had in my life, never mind on a camp site, I considered staying in there for 37 times longer so I wouldn't have to do it again in some of the more grotty campsites we will no doubt encounter our travels, but I don't think it works like that.

The first night was spent in a little place called Sale (no shopping, complete misrepresentation) was a great start, we had our own personal lake!








Then Eden, where we had our own personal beach, complete with foamy bubbles!











Then Merimbula for a night, there was a beautiful boardwalk there, and yet another great beach.








Benny lost his hat, and decided to improvise.











Hello from Merimbula!




And here is where we woke up, in Bateman's Bay, not literally, of course, but it was rather damp, there was a huge storm yesterday and the thunder and lightening was pretty impressive. The kids and I were in the pool, we went when it was kind of starting, we did know to was going to happen really, but just jumped in the pool anyway, there was no-one else there (they were all in their campervans watching the silly people in the pool).

We arrived home like drowned rats, but it was fun. We only got out of the pool because I as worried that the lightening would travel though the water. Couldn't remember if water is a good conductor of electricity or not. Alex said that we would only be at risk if we were holding big metal tv aerials in our hands whilst we were swimming, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

The people next door to us had just arrived half an hour beforehand, it was their first camping (tenting) experience. Two hours later, they had packed up and gone home. I must admit that although I am a tough and hardened camper, I was very glad I had a nice hard waterproof campervan roof over our heads this time, even if it did have a tv aerial on it.




And now we are in North Durras, just 20 mins north of Batemans Bay, in the National Park. Tonight we did a bit of a bushwalk to the river and even had a little fire - Pat, you would have been proud:)

Night night.







Love
Est xxx

Fast Food

Wanted to show you this gorgeous little South Channel 'marker' (don't ask me, must be a fishing/boaty thing) that was close to where we went with our fishing boat.







Look closely - can you see all the seals just sitting there chilling out in the shade? Apparently they just jump on up there, and they go up the steps as well!







Whilst I was off shopping, the kids had a great time on their new favourite toy, the 'Hot Dog'. Believe it or not, someone had just left it on the side of the road, so now it belongs to the Jones family! I hope the people weren't just going in to get something, and they came back to find that their precious hot dog had disappeared. No, it has a small hole, probably that is why they left it there....hopefully! Oops, maybe the dog is now hot in more ways than one!!!










It was even more fun when they attached it to the back of the boat!

Love
Est xxx

Relaxing in Rye

After dropping Fanny off, Lana and I headed to the Jones family beach house in Rye, a small seaside town about an hour and a half from Melbourne to reunite with our families.




The boys were in the garden, making fires, chopping wood - Pat said it was ok because Benny had his 'safety thongs' on (flip flops, not pants) - eating ice pops and generally being happy and at one with nature.




We got fish and chips, grabbed some cold beers and settled down in front of the fire - with toasted marshmallows for afterwards it was the ultimate treat. Lans and I were still sitting there talking at midnight when a fox prowling through the garden reminded us it must be time to go bed.




The next morning we got to experience the new family boat. We had to give it a bit of a push first though, it was low tide and the water in the bay was only about half a metre deep, even though we had walked about 20 metres to get to it!




Finally we were off, and the fishing rods were out.







Sam caught three fish, and Ben caught two. He has caught some fish before but these were the first ones he has caught by himself. Clever Benny, I am so proud.







And Alex got one two!




Then back home for our freshly caught BBQ lunch, then a lazy afternoon on the beach. I even went in for a swim, as it was my kind of water, calm, clear, and only 1m deep!










Thanks Lans and Pat, Cal, Tahli and Sam for all your hospitality, and for sharing your beautiful charming home with us, we feel so special.

Love
Est xxx