It is nice to be home

Oh boy, it sure is.   Decent internet speed.  Although we had mobile broadband, coverage was not great and felt like dial up again.  

This morning we left Port Macquarie just after 8am and had two stops at Coffs Harbour and a little place by a river called Woodburn.  After then it was straight back home.   We took this detour that bypassed Grafton as the GPS was programmed to 'take the shortest route'.  Well I was nervous and worried.  The car handled it well.  The 'Male' driver was going a bit faster than what I would on these country roads, there were a couple of other cars, not many and no livestock were crossing the road. 

We arrived back home around 2pm (Qld time) and have unpacked, cleared the mail and I have done some groceries for the next few days.

Next job is to tidy my craft room, finish journals, have show and tell of the things that I bought.  That could be a whole new post.  Once all of that is done, Katie is turning 8 on Saturday.  Where has the time gone.

Till next time
XoX

Time out in Port Macquarie

Yesterday we left the rat race of Sydney.  I have no urge to live there.  I love the warmth of the Gold Coast too much and the lifestyle is more me.  Relaxed and casual.   Besides my friends are there.  

On thh way home Justin wanted to stop at a place called Corlette which is east of Newcastle.   Lovely little town and we stopped and had lucch at one of the many reststops along Sandy Point Road.  The girls loved it.   A play in the playground and a splash in the water.

Having fun in the water.  For some reason Katie was more interested in her Mexican Doritos.







I will upload more photos of our trip when we get back home.   Internet connection here is not great.

The girls are enjoying that we are staying in a Hotel.  We are enjoying Rydges at Port Macquarie.   Four people one room, cozy.   Miss the comforts of home though.  In 24 hours we will be there.  

Till next time.
Xox

Almost time to start the trip north

It is almost time to pack the car and start the trip north back home to the Gold Coast.  I for one is looking forward to putting away the winter clothing that I bought with me.

Not much happened today, so no photos.  We ended up at the Liverpool Train Show.  Not ideal for me but one vendor had 8 baskets of scrapbooking stuff so I did buy some.   There was no way I wanted to leave empty handed. 

There have been more thunder storms tonight.   Nice but I would like them to head north to water the garden and fill our water tanks. 

So by this time tomorrow morning we will be on our way.  Not sure where we are stopping or even staying so will wait and see.

Till next time
XoX

We ventured into the City

Day three proved to be another cold and wet day.  Not as much rain as the past two which was good.

Due to the weather we decided not to go to taronga Zoo but headed off to the Aquarium instead.  Finding the carpark was an adventure.   Found a spot to park and re-programmed the GPS and we got there.   Had trouble finding the mono-rail as there is little to NO signage at all.  But once we got there it was a breeze.   Claire was a little unsure of the mono-rail.   She has been on a roller-coaster but wanted to get off the monorail.   Strange. 

Once we got to the aquarium the girls enjoyed themselves.   Katie enjoyed the crocodile and both girls loved part of the Great Barrier Reef Exhibit as you were able to touch the startfish and hold the empty shark eggs.   Katie really wanted to see a clownfish like Nemo and she found a fish like Dory.

Katie and Claire with a Mermaid and Dugong at the Aquarium.

 A Dugong eating Lettuce.   Now if only the girls would eat lettuce willingly.

With a small shark behind them.    Katie is still looking.  Not so sure.

Here we are about to go over the harbour bridge. Naughty me took the photo while I was driving.   Not recommended.









Not sure what is planned for today.  No doubt it will be interesting.


Till next time
XoX

day two of the holiday

But is it really a holiday.  It is wet, cold and raining.  Quite frustrating as I did not bring enough warm clothing for all of us.  

We spent yesterday doing some scrapbook shopping and I had fun at Fantasia and will be heading back there today to buy a stamp set that I though I had bought.

As it was raining we went to Westfield at Parramatta and saw UP.  Was a challenge to get there but GPS was great.  Was even more challenging to get out of the car park.  Took 25 minutes and the drivers here are so arrogant and pushy.  Unbelievable.   Looking forward to heading back to the Gold Coast.

Today, the grand plan is to go to the Aquarium.  Hopefully it is undercover and we won't get too wet. 

Till Next Time
XoX

I've crossed the boarder

Well it has happened, I have crossed the boarder and headed south to Sydney.  Hubby wanted to go to a model train thingy.  What a way to get a 'family' holiday except he gets three days of pleasure first. 

We are now here in Castle Hill, not far from where he will be and I was advised to take two sets of clothing, summer and winter.  Well my jeans are on now and my jumper(cardigan) to keep me warm.  We are in a double bed and I miss my king size already.  I left temps of 30's for something around 17.  Not good.

Girls have been good.   Mind you I was over 'are we there yet?' or 'are we in Sydney?' at least they were interested.   Was a good trip down but OMG the road works and spped cameras literally in the middle of nowhere.

One thing we had to do alot was stop for toilet breaks.   Interesting to say the least.   Thank goodness for the Dettol Hand sanitizer.

I managed to get a couple of photos. 

 Here is the sunset on our way into Grafton.  I was in the car. 
The sunset was more pinky than this.









On Friday morning after overnighting in Coffs Harbour we had to have morning tea at the Big Banana.  
One chocolate covered banana for the big kids and the little ones had regular ones. Anyway here are the girls in front of the Big Banana.  This is the only one were Katie is not being silly and hiding her face.

This banana you can walk through and it tells you how long it takes to get banana's from the banana plant.  Something I did not know. 










Now that it is Saturday.  The weather is not great and we had a thunder storm last night. Today we are off to a couple of scrapbook stores for me and then off to the Movies.  Hopefully tomorrow we get to Taronga Zoo and the Harbour Bridge.


Till next time
XoX