The Final Leg

Day Forty | 24 Jan 2013:

On the road from Yamba to the Sunshine Coast, we are greeted by the rain, which continues all the way to our destination, Caloundra.  The Sunshine Coast is anything but sunny.  

Over the next two days, we sit and listen to reports about the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone ‘Oswald’, as it dumps it’s payload from the top end of the Queensland coast, right down to the bottom (and even into NSW), causing major flooding.  It appears we have rounded off our tour of natural disasters fairly competently, first fires, then earthquakes…. now flooding!

A Chinese dinner on our last night in Caloundra sees Lachy making his first attempt with chopsticks... so cute!

Day Forty Two | 26 Jan 2013:

Happy Birthday Australia… and happy birthday dad!  We spend Australia Day on the road, bound for Roma.  We have to detour way out west in order to avoid flooding and road closures, but it’s well worth it to ensure we make it home safely and in time for the kids to make day one of school!  

Fortunately an incident free day of travelling, albeit a wet one.  Small pleasures are sometimes the best ones, but I just loooove travelling in the rain, so I am more than happy to be on the road today.

We are pleasantly surprised when we decide to dine in the motel restaurant for dinner.  Wow!  An award winning little al a carte spot with the most awesome lighting.  I take a bit of an interest in these amazing light shades.  Cool huh?  Oh, and the food was incredible... roast chicken and vegetables has never looked so good!  So glad we dined in-house!!

One more sleep and the adventure is over!  :(

Day Forty Three | 27 Jan 2013:

It rains heavily all night and we are concerned about the state of the roads and crossings.  Our luck seems to have run out when we reach Rolleston however, when we discover the road to Springsure is closed due to flooding.

 After waiting for an hour and a half with no change, we decide to try an alternate route via dirt roads.  A soggy, but successful option in the end.

Home Sweet Home! :)

Sooo, after:

… forty three days away from home, no less than 7,000 kilometres travelled, a gazillion litres of fuel consumed, nine different beds slept in, two dead camper batteries, one exploded car engine, countless spectacularly beautiful scenes, an immeasurable number of memories and some of the best times that we have had as a family, ever!  Oh, and six very happy campers…

  

... we pull back into our driveway with that bittersweet feeling that the holiday is over, yet we have returned to everything that is homely, comfortable and familiar.  And Gus is of course super excited to see us!

With no time for reflection or contemplation, it doesn't take long before the organisational board (that I would be completely lost without) is covered with timetables, schedules and planners... evidence that six busy little bodies are cranking up their activities and getting into the swing of the new school/work year!

{sigh} ... I need another holiday!!  ;)

Thanks so much for coming along for the ride. I hope you have enjoyed (or tolerated) the temporary deviation of my blogging content and, whilst I seriously underestimated how busy our trip was going to be ... and consequently how little time was going to be left over for all things creative... I am committed to completing and sharing my travel journal!!  Watch this space...  :)

Cheers,

Jules

x

Farewell Tassy...

Day Thirty Four |  18 Jan 2013:

A relax day again today as our Tassy Tour starts to wind down.  I organise myself and the kids to go it alone for the next few days as Troy organises the camper for it’s journey back over on the ferry.  My cousins and their combined partners and kids all arrive in the afternoon to spend the last two nights with me and the kids before we fly back to Melbourne to meet up with Troy… then the driving starts in earnest again with our 2,500km return roadtrip!

 ... peace...

... last chance beach play...

Day Thirty Seven | 21 Jan 2013:

Regrettably our last day in Tassy.  Four full weeks of sightseeing and spending time with family has just not been enough.  We are already talking about a return visit to see the things we just didn’t have time to see… and re-visit the places that we know we ‘have’ to see again!  Tasman Peninsular, Bay of Fires, Cradle Mountain… the list goes on.

Fond farewells at the airport as mum and cousin Shaz see us off… with the combined cousin offspring in attendance too!  We are all amazed at how well they have all hit it off, so much so that we all make arrangements to meet up soon, somewhere in the middle of Tassy and Central Queensland!

 

Day Thirty Eight | 22 Jan 2013:

Goodbye Melbourne, hello long road home!

The kids are awesome and travel sooo well today, so we make a lot of ground.  We make it all the way to Swansea, just to the South of Newcastle…. almost 1,000km in a day!

Day Thirty Nine | 23 Jan 2013:

Swansea to Yamba… gorgeous little holiday spot on the NSW coast that Troy spent many a vacation in as a boy.  It would be nice to spend a little more time here, but the first day back to school is fast approaching and we still want to spend a couple of recovery days with Troy’s folks on the Sunshine Coast.

Whatever it takes to pass the time right?

... and something you don't see everyday...

... and finally, we get some Yamba sand between our toes!  :)

Over the half-way mark now, but the excitement is definitely not over yet!  :)

More to come.

Jules

x

More Discoveries...

Day Thirty Two | 16 Jan 2013 :

There are very few Australians who would not remember the anxious wait as we all held our collective breath in the hope that the trapped miners Todd Russell and Brant Web would be rescued following the Beaconsfield Gold Mine disaster of April 2006.  Only a short drive away from Green’s Beach, we found the decommissioned mine and historical museum of Beaconsfield.  Along with the epic story of the earth tremor, rock collapse and subsequent rescue efforts to save the miners, we found an amazingly well structured farming, mining and ‘everything historical’ museum.  We were all quite surprised by the diversity of the displays.

... the infamous mine shaft entrance...

... the story...

  

... a replica of the tiny cage the men were trapped in, buried in rock ...

I was also thrilled to see these little babies…

… who doesn’t LOVE an antique typewriter? While I find the historical artifacts intriguing, not surprisingly, I show what I am starting to think is an unhealthy interest in the crumbling ruins and the colours and textures of the brickwork!

Day Thirty Three | 17 Jan 2013 :

A self-drive Winery tour is on the agenda today and again, we are lucky to have my Uncle lead us around to some of the gorgeous vineyards with their cellar door wine tasting, in the Tamar Valley region between Green’s Beach and Launceston, on the western side of the river.  The boys reciprocate today and play the role of designated drivers as the girls relax and enjoy the scenery… and indulge the senses just a little!

Sav Blancs and Pinot Noirs are the flavours of the day and we all come home with a generous selection of both!

Another lovely day.

See you again soon,

Jules

x