Liked | Disliked | ||
Jasmine
|
Sitting in the back seat with Ben and playing with our toys
Making and sitting around a fire
Joining mum and dad in bed in the morning |
Going to pit loos
Setting/packing up the tent
March flies |
|
Jordan
|
Campfires
Waking up and seeing something
awesome during the day
Having a long distance relationship
with friends
|
Uncertainty of driving tracks
Long driving days with the food bag
at my feet
Everyones mess in the car
|
|
Playing Imaginary Transformers anywhere in the bush
Going to cool places like BIG things
and Natural wonders
No school work/homework
|
Taking siblings to the toilet
Flipping the car seat
Missing my friends
|
||
Going to all the BIG things
Meeting lots of different people,
especially the kids
Eating yummy meals on the campfire –
like pancakes and cakes
|
Taking Jordan to the shower
Having to do times tables
Having to collect firewood
|
||
Having a real cup of coffee first thing in the morning in the peace and quiet of the bush with Vin
Having the freedom to explore all
the different wonders of this country
Hanging out by the fire/playing uno
with the whole family
|
Counting how many days we haven't had a shower
Washing clothes in various caravan
parks – especially through the rainy times
Tripping over/packing up multiple
guitars and other related items
|
||
Experiencing new adventures with my family Australia's people and natural wonders The quiet mornings, watching the sunrise and sunset |
Taking kids to the loo in the middle of the night Fuel-bills Road-trains |
Welcome to the Ralh Family Blog. We're travelling around Australia in a camper-trailer clockwise from Sydney for 6 months, from April 2011. Join Vin, Robyn, Jordan, Adam, Ben and Jasmine on the adventure of our lifetime.
Thursday, 22 September 2011
What I liked and disliked
A Journey Ends
The
Ralh family makes its way home, a little older, grown a little wiser
and a little closer.
We've
travelled the length and breadth of this fair country,
And
seen many wonders of the natural world and shared many an adventure.
We've
caught up with old friends and made many new ones,
We've
experienced the kindness of strangers in a way that reaffirms your
belief in human nature.
From
trial and error and help from others,
We've
learnt many new skills:
From
4WD'ing, chopping wood, starting a fire and cooking bush-tucker.
We've
got bogged, got lost, swarmed
by mice, bitten by mozzies
and infected by hooks and some of us got
hung-over.
We've
swum on a reef, clambered through gorges and walked 'round Uluru,
We've
slept under the stars and caught a barra.
The
kids have toughened up a little, growing in confidence and stature,
Education
on the road expanding their world,
Robyn
has chilled she says, the nervous twitch hardly noticeable -
As
the rest of us go days on end without bathing.
And
I? I had the pleasure of sharing this journey.
And
next? We've started planning our next adventure.
Day 173 Little Styx Campground – Woolemi National Park September 20th – September 22nd
We
put out the camper-trailer and annex for the last time and over the
next two days we didn't do too much except relax. The kids played
adventure games on the rock formations. We read, played games,
strummed the guitar and cooked over campfires.
Next stop, home.
Biggle and BIG Blue Heeler |
Camping at Dunn's Swamp |
War games |
Cleaning blackened feet |
Plum pudding |
Day 172 Little Styx Campground – Tamworth - Wallabadah Rest Area September 19th – September 20th
From
Little Styx Campground, we continued along the Waterfall Way and
stopped for a tour of historic Armidale and a great coffee. Then it
was off to Tamworth to get our fill of the country music capital of
Australia. To our uninitiated family, country music doesn't get a lot
of time on their playlists but a visit to the quaint Australian
Country Music Foundation gave the kids a view and interest of some of
country musics greats and young stars. Then we drove on to stop at
the Wallabadah Rest Area, a pretty, well-equipped stop next to a
creek and First Fleet Memorial Gardens.
Biggle and BIG Soldier |
Biggle and BIG Chook |
Biggle and Golder Guitar |
Our personal trampoline |
Monday, 19 September 2011
Day 171 Coffs Harbour – Little Styx Campground September 18th – September 19th
We
decided to take a backroad from our campground, traversing through
beautiful rolling hills, banana plantations and then as we passed
through the Great Dividing Range - steep windy roads and old
rainforests. Lucky for me, Robyn drove through the windy bits and I
could just chill!
We
stopped at Dorrigo National Park to take in the stunning views of the
skywalk above the treetop canopy and joined what is known as the
Waterfall Way, one of the famous NSW driving routes.
We
stopped at Little Styx Campground next to New England National Park
and enjoyed a quiet bushland camping experience next to a creek, with
a roaring fire and kids singing for entertainment.
Dangar Falls |
Cooled lava flows |
Dorrigo Skywalk |
Relaxing at Little Styx Campground |
Day 169-170 Borders Range National Park – Coffs September 16th – September 18th
After
a quick bit of research, we decided to stay at Split Solitary Family
Park at Sapphire Beach, just outside Coff's Harbour. This park turned
out to be a bit of a find, a small friendly park with lots of space
and a nice feel. We got unpowered sites in a quiet corner of the park
next to the beach. Robyn's friend – who is also a Robyn and her
family Mark (serious fisho) and their kids Luke and Adam joined us for the next
couple of days. Luke and Adam showed us their skills with the guitar
and song, singing their funny song “What are you doing today?”.
The weather was a glorious 28 degrees. The
kids played in the surf and ran into the waves for hours amusing
themselves. The Robyn's talked as only women can, interrupted only
for a glass of white wine. Mark and I tried our hand something more
productive, beach fishing while the sun set in the horizon, and the
result was catching a shovel-nose shark which we threw back.
Catching the waves |
Adam and sand art |
Beached whale |
Luke, Adam and the gang |
Biggle and BIG Banana |
Biggle and the BIG puzzle |
Day 168 Brisbane – Borders Range National Park September 15th – September 16th
Time
to get reacquainted with camping and after a pack-up which took ages,
it was off to Sheep Station Creek at Borders Range National Park.
There we met up with Doug, Sharon and their kids Jarrod and Ella. We
had a simple meal over the campfire and sang songs. The kids did
their best to wake up the sleepy, tranquil campground, roaring and
shrieking away while they played war games with long sticks which as
we all know was only going to end with tragedy.
Doug, Sharon, Ella & Jarrod |
Pinnacle lookout |
Scribbly leafs |
Adam singing From Little Things Big Things Grow |
Name that lizard |
Day 162-167 Fraser Island September – Brisbane September 9th – September 15th
We
said goodbye to Fraser Island, taking the barge back across to
Rainbow Beach and headed towards Brisbane. On the way we met up with
fellow Great Dividing Range inductees – Doug, Sharon and their
kids Ella and Jarrod for coffee at that great Australian institution,
Macca's. They were on their own 3 ½ month odyssey across the
eastern half of Australia.
Catching up with Doug, Sharon, Ella and Jarrod |
Then
it was off to Brisbane to catch up with old friends Peter, Jacqui and
their kids Kaitlyn and James. Allan, Vickki and Jessie from Perth were also there so it was a great catch up for all. We all 'squished' into
Peter and Jacqui's house, we had a few cooked dinners, some great
wine and plenty of laughs as we caught up on old times.
Roughing it with drinks at the pools |
Jacqui the pool shark, slaughtering us at pool |
Cheers! |
Time for a visit from tooth fairy |
The boys all cooked an Indian banquet on the first night. Allan drew the short straw and cut up 4kgs of onions – which was so funny that we all joined in and cried - though ours were of laughter, joining an exhausted but good humoured Allan. Peter manned the BBQ for the kebabs and chicken tandoori. I tried not to be too bossy or messy in the kitchen – a vain hope.
Peter, Allen and Vin - ready for action |
For heavens sake - chop finer man! |
A job well done! |
Peter handling his balls - I mean kebabs! |
Jacqui to the rescue |
Dishing up for the kids |
They had to wait a while but all smiles |
In
our stay in Brisbane we had a ride on a rivercat, walked around
Southbank, visited museums and art galleries, parliament house and of
course, visited Movieworld.
Kaitlyn and Jasmine at lightshow, Brisbane Festival, Southbank |
Biggle and BIG Pie at Yatala |
Good pies! |
Cheese Factory at the Witchery, Tamborine Mountain |
Marking art at the Modern Art Gallery |
Surrealism by Adam |
Queensland Museum with Jassy and Ella |
Chinese in Brisbane |
State parliament house |
Reading room at State Parliament House |
Mace |
Biggle and BIG Redback Spider |
The
kids had a their first ride on a serious roller-coaster – Scooby
Doo which started out as a tame ghost train and ended up opening into
a large cavern and being a roller-coaster. Jassie and Ben found it a
little scary and enough for their first experience. The three older
boys - Allen, Peter and I - went on the larger rides – Superman and
Lethal Weapon rides which were exhilarating.
Kids ready for Movieworld! |
The ride looked easy.... |
Marilyn doing her magic with Peter |
Jacqui not looking to amused |
Stunt cars |
We're still alive after the Superman ride |
Every boys favourite cat-woman |
Kodak moment :) |
We
also visited Customline and got a few thing fixed in the trailer –
like the handbrake and zipper!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)