Hervey Bay QLD (April / May - 6 days)

We left lovely (but very busy) Noosa with a gorgeous sunset walk in the National Park Headland on the eve of our departure. Annabelle is turning in to quite a budding little photographer…. she loves capturing anything and everything!

As we headed north to Hervey Bay we felt for the first time that we were leaving familiar territory and heading into the unknown (very exciting). It has been considerably quieter (and thankfully drier!). The blue-green water colour is just superb and the Urangan Pier was a lovely (somewhat long - 868m) walk for the kids.

Annabelle and Harrison have started school (distance education) this week and Tim has been getting a few more work hours done when he can. Harrison has made a little friend – Sebastian (9 years old, recently emigrated from South Africa). He is an only child and been a guest at the caravan park for 2 weeks. He longs to play with the kids. He is really very sweet and well mannered. He just keeps appearing and hangs outside the annex waiting for the kids to finish their schooling for the day!

We are looking forward to heading over to Fraser Island tomorrow (Annabelle’s 8th birthday!) where we will stay a night and explore what we can by car and foot.

We are all well and are starting to feel more at home in the van and on the road. We do miss you all (dear family and friends) and are always thrilled to read your e-mails.

Noosa QLD (April - 7 days)

We have been enjoying much better weather here in Noosa and after some days of scattered rain, Harrison was thrilled to announce that the forecast showed only ‘sun symbols’ for the next week up this way!

Good weather has brought all the holiday makers to the beach in Noosa. We struggled to find a patch of beach for our towels and boogie boards. (Quite overwhelming compared to ‘Lighthouse Beach). The water was beautiful and the walk towards the headland, delightful! We are looking forward to doing the full National Park headland walk later in the week.

It has been very exciting to have caught up with some lovely Port Macquarie friends also holidaying in Noosa (Lancasters, Pecks and soon – Heywoods).

The Eumundi Markets were a fun morning out for all. A little busier and bigger than we both remember….but something for everyone. Harrison was delighted with his purchase of a bongo drum (which he is practicing often,…. no complaints yet!). Annabelle and Hannah loved the bungy trampolines, ‘hair braid wraps’ and other little ‘nick nacks’ – it was truly a feast for little eyes. Tim and I could have sampled many more of the food stalls, but we tried to be ‘good’.

Australia Zoo was certainly a big, but great day out! The croc show, elephant feeding, roo and koala patting featuring amongst the highlights. Even Georgie got into it! We couldn’t help but wonder what the atmosphere must have been like when Steve was ‘running the show’, but they certainly had plenty of interesting and appropriate memorabilia to pay tribute to him and his passion for wildlife.

The caravan is feeling more and more like home and we are all getting used to negotiating tight spaces! It is very pleasing to note that the injury rate for all (bumping heads, shins etc) is slowly subsiding as we are adjusting to our close quarters. (The incidence of painful moans and groans was ridiculous for all at the start of the trip!). Two more days in lovely Noosa, then we head north to Hervey Bay, from where we will visit Fraser Island.

Byron Bay NSW (April - 3 days)

What a wet and windy few days we have had here in Byron! The weather has been so wild that we have been unable to even get the annex up, so the six of us have been confined to the van along with the wet washing and all other outdoor bits etc! What a good test of our commitment to the trip! Hannah was very keen for her usual Saturday morning pancakes (shown here).

We are staying in a caravan park right on the beachfront (which has afforded us little protection from the elements, but good access to the beach and heart of Byron, if only the weather had been better).

We have still managed to get out in the wet and amongst other things walk to the Lighthouse and the most easterly point of the mainland, visit ‘The Bead Shop’ (thanks Kerri! – Annabelle was delighted to make five pieces with her selection and I managed to fit in two visits!), sample some local coffees and visit the Byron Bay Cookie warehouse “mmmm”.

Moving on to Noosa tomorrow and hopefully some better weather!!

Coffs Harbour NSW (April - 3 days)

DAY 1

The big departure day finally arrived as we said some special goodbyes to family and friends….Exhausted after a marathon house and caravan pack-up we hit the road hoping the kids would share our desire to flake out during the two hour drive north to Coffs. They were however as lively as ever, wanting to sample the large range of travel games we had been collecting….and yes, they did ask more than once “Are we there yet?”!

We set up, bathed the little girls in the big pink ‘bath’ (which they adored), ate, then were all tucked up for the night by 8.30pm!

DAY 2

Day two saw us reorganising the use of storage within the van….to say ‘it is at a premium’ would be an understatement!...The kids enjoyed swimming, riding bikes, practicing handstands, watching movies from the ‘top bunk’. As night fell Tim treated the kids to a ‘Porta Potti’ lesson, getting each child to do a dummy, then real run! We did spell out that it was only for late night ‘wee’ trips, but somebody failed to comply which resulted in some good cathartic laughter for all!

Life in a van sure isn’t easy with 6 (including a crawling baby)…however its many conveniences are a real treat compared to ‘tenting’ it, and all worth it for the magic moments already had by all.