Ohhh, our hairy little boys...Mr. Windswept & Interesting with his best mate, Bubs.  Dean and Kent have been growing their hair since the beginning of school.  Dean already had a longer style when they started so his hair has really taken off now and Kent's hair is so thick, it looks like a mop sitting on his head!  It's not a contest of who's hair is longer but who can grow if for the longest amount of time.  Each time I asked Kent if he wanted a hair cut, he would answer, "Come on Mom.   You can outlast Louise!" 

Luckily for me, Dean has already begun training for cricket and he was having trouble seeing the ball with all that hair flattened under his helmet!  A hairdresser met us all at Bennett's home today and gave the boys a "haircut".  That's about all she cut too......one hair!  After trimming the fringe, Dean tried on the helmet for good measure and he was done.  Kent also had his fringe trimmed and the rest thinned a bit.  The pile of hair on the floor was embarrassing!  Lucky they both have beautiful faces! 

Our first weekend back in Griffith was anything but quiet and that's the way we like it!  Wow!  Friday was Cass' 40th birthday so we celebrated at school and had a little visit with them after school too.  The footy parents had a great get together Friday evening....music, dancing, campfires, drinks, friends....it was very entertaining! 

Saturday was a "stay home day" for most of us....except Kent, of course.  He lives at the Bennett's.  Lucas spent the day and night with us too.  He and Cody get along really well and entertain themselves with music, PS2, AFL and hockey.  They were good to let the little boys play with them too. 

All 4 boys had footy on Sunday morning...9:30, 11:00 and 12:30... all in Griffith.  The sun was shining and it doesn't get any easier than that!  The littles had great pracitices and the bigs both played their best games yet!

After the games, it was back out into the hills to Peter & Sheryl's farm. 

Some of us were in need of firewood so we all met in the paddock.  Peter, Sheryl, Riley & Micheal Conlan; Cathy, Matt, Patrick, Isabelle & Will Dando; Paul Conlan; Cousin Brian & Mitchell Conlan and the Jackson 6...add in 7 dogs and you've got yourself a lot of action!  The men and older boys cut and loaded wood, the younger boys played footy and explored looking for spiders and ants.  I took pictures (surprise!) and Sheryl and Cathy looked after the whole lot of us!  It was a super afternoon and evening.  Thank you for inviting us all out again! 

It's a good thing I have release last session on Monday afternoon because our weekends are so full on that I need the break!  We wouldn't want it any other way!

Happy Canada Day and thank you to the Aussies that baked us cupcakes and sent thunder sticks in the mail.  We had a good day and were looking forward to our warm winter holiday in Queensland.  The winter in Griffith has been very comfortable with highs in the mid teens and lows around 3C but, just the same, we were looking forward to playing in the water.

We began our holiday on Saturday, June 30, playing footy at Coleambally and then driving 7 hours to Sydney.  On Sunday, July 1, we flew to Cairns, Queensland, picked up our motorhome, loaded it with groceries and spent time at the lagoon.  Cairns is know for rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef.  Surprisingly, the town has no sand beaches so has built this great lagoon and boardwalk area.  It had been a very early morning so it was relaxing to spend the afternoon in the warmth of the sunshine.  The pool was a little cool and the boys were soon distracted by the great sand.  This was to become a theme of the holidays.

Monday - July 2
We drove from Cairns to Port Douglas where we would spend 3 days.  Along the way, we spent a few hours on Ellis Beach.  The ocean was cool and rough, no lifeguards are on duty at this time of year and we are just too nervous to venture into the water "on our own".  In addition, every water source we saw (ocean and river) was marked with warning signs about possible crocs in the area....kinda turns you off swimming! 

The boys love to climb all over rocks and look for crabs or shells.  They also found this spring that was running to the ocean.  With two other boys, they worked hard to build dams and stop the water.  They were successful for quite awhile but then....Mother Nature proved too strong and the water won again.

Tuesday - July 3
This was one of our favorite days on our winter holidays.  We signed up for a day tour through the Daintree rainforest and up the river.  We were picked up from our campsite by an over enthusiastic man named Fin.  He was driving a 4 wheel drive mini bus.  The 3 older boys took turns sitting up front with Fin.  At first they thought they were lucky but, after experiencing his driving, they weren't so sure!

Our tour took us deep into the rainforest where we had a guided tour explaining some of the plant life.  The rainforest meets the ocean so there was a little bit of time spent there too.  There's never enough time at each of the sights when you are on a tour but the guides are generally so knowledgable that we find it best to sign up for the tours anyway.  

We were travelling north of Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation and beyond.  Along the way we came across this group of dirtbikers.  There were also countless 4x4 vehicles and tent trailers.  They were on a journey from Cape York at the northern tip of Queensland.  The trip requires a 4x4 and looked VERY exciting to me!  Add it to the list of "next time"! 

Also on our day tour was a river cruise hunting for crocodiles.  We found several types of birds, a couple of snakes and 3 or 4 baby crocs.  We also found their Mama but she was quicker than me so... no picture of her.

These are two of the funnier pictures from the day.  The rare cassowary bird lives in the rainforest and it is endangered.  All day we kept our eyes open looking for a rare glimpse of this bird.  It was a very bright red and blue head and it resembles a small, BRIGHT emu.  All along the roadway are signs reminding people to watch for the birds and speed bump signs to remind motorists to slow down.  Someone with a sense of humour saw things a little differently!

The picture of the kangaroo was taken at lunch.  The owners of the restaurant take in injured wildlife and we got to feed the kangaroos and wallabies.  So funny!

Wednesday - July 4
We spent the day in Port Douglas checking out the beach.  It was soooo windy that the sand was whipping at our skin and we had to make a quick escape.  We found our way to the marina where the boys played in the sand and we enjoyed a picnic.

Thursday - July 5
Today was our return trip to Cairns.  After another stop at Ellis Beach, we enjoyed a yummy lunch at Cairns, played on their numerous playgrounds, found the most delicious Italian ice cream shop and spent time at our campground. 

Friday - July 6
Today was another of our favorite days.  When leaving Canada, we had a very short list of places we really wanted to see: Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef, Australia Zoo, and the Kuranda Skyrail and train.  Today was our day at Kuranda!

 

Kuranda is a village in the middle of the rainforest.  To get there, we took a tour bus and then the most relaxing skyrail (or I think it would be without boys bouncing it and yelling at each other!)  There were two stops along the way where we disembarked to walk throught the rainforest and the interpretive centre.

At Kuranda, we ate lunch and then toured the Butterfly Santuary, the Zoo and the bird place. (I'm sure it has a name...)  They were interesting but certainly not worth their money especially after visiting the Australia Zoo and the Butterfly Santuary in Montreal.   

To get home from Kuranda, we took the train.  It wove its way through the rainforest, rock tunnels and villages.  The boys were tired and jacked up on sugar (see proof on the right...) so were a bit bored and grumpy.  Still, it was a beautiful trip. 

Our tour bus driver was waiting for us but, unfortunately, we were the LAST stop for the entire coach!  It made for a long day.  I have decided that, as much as I love the country and the outback, I like the rainforest a whole lot too.  It's beautiful to visit and would be great to live near (but not in). 

Saturday - July 7
Well today it was time for CODY's dream to come true in Australia!  It was time to go fishing!  Now, the weather had not been great all of this week.  The temperatures were low-mid 20s but it was cloudy, windy and a bit wet most days.  Being the motion sick family that we are, I was a little nervous about our day.  Turns out.....it was super and another favorite memory of our holiday! 

Because of the wind, we did not head out into the wide open ocean.  Instead, we fished in the estuary and small river in front of the marina.  We all learned how to throw and retrieve crab pots from the mangroves and throw nets for bait.  We were fishing for small fish but larger fish like barramundi had been caught just the day before.  There were 13 passengers and our captain aboard this flat bottomed boat.

A quick summary of the day (and this includes everyone on board...) - Khye caught the first fish, Colt caught the most fish (we lost count!), Cody brought in the biggest fish, Dad caught the biggest (an eel) but it broke the line when it burrowed in the mud, Cody drove the boat, and Kent....well, he and I just hung back and fished.  Caught a couple each but nothing significant to report! 

While Cody was driving the boat, our captain cooked up a sausage sizzle, fresh crab and our raw fish to eat.  The boys had so much fun that some of them (CODY) wanted to go again in the afternoon or the next day!  That was an excellent start to our big water fishing experiences!

Sunday - July 8
And here it is....the day we had been waiting for since we agreed to come to Australia!  THE GREAT BARRIER REEF!!!
(And not one picture to show for it!)

The sky was overcast and a bit cool so we all dressed in pants and sweatshirts/jumpers.  The wind is always a concern for me and most of the family does get motion sick so we were all took sea sickness medication before our big trip.  We were excited for our day.  It was a 1.5 hour trip on the catamaran out to the reef, 5 hours of snorkelling/diving, and 1.5 hours back.  The photographer took our family picture as we boarded the boat and we got settled.  Howard and I signed up for dive lessons and Cody longingly wanted to try too but we decided not this time. 

And this is where the fun began!  As we were leaving the marina, we hit our first big waves.  The nose of the cat violently rocked up and down twice and that was enough to know that we (and by we, I mean I) was in big trouble!  Too late to turn around and only 8 hours to go!!!

I made a quick dash outside to the stern of the boat with 3 vomit bags in hand and that's where I spent the next 2 hours.  I was soon joined by Cody, Kent, and Colt.  The stern was packed with fellow sufferers so Howard and dozens of others made their way upstairs to the fresh air where they were equally as sick.  Howard asked an attendent to check on our kids and she brought Khye to me.  He was not sick but was scared of the size of the waves.  As I sat on the bench, Khye stood between my legs holding on for dear life.  Not even Mama vomitting beside his head would make him let go!

When we finally arrived at the reef, the cat docked beside the platform.  People with iron stomachs squeezed into their wetsuits and were in the water before I even opened my eyes.  Only the promise of less rocking made me leave the cat.  I don't know where the kids went....I don't even remember walking to the platform.  I can tell you this....the next 5 hours were NOT pretty.

Cody and Kent slept on aluminum picnic benches for 5 hours and did not move or talk!  Howard and I sat at the same picnic tables with our heads on the table tops for 5 hours and I did not move.  Howard did try to dive for 15 minutes but was so sick he had to come back up.  Colt recovered from his brief illness and looked after Khye for the rest of the day.  They sat between Howard and I and rubbed our backs most of the time.  They did dart off to watch Nemo on TV and Colt got themselves lunch at the buffet. 

The trip home was less painful than the ride out to the reef but only because we knew the end was in sight.  Upon docking at Cairns, we were the last ones to leave the cat and it was shakey.  The boys had mostly recovered and Howard...he's just a trooper.  He all but carried me off!  The employees all bid us farewell, several other passengers commented on what wonderful boys we have and wished us well. 

As great as the land felt under our feet, it was 2 days before Howard, Kent and I were back to 100%.  Checking back on the weather, the wind was 25-30 knots with 3 metre swells.  Over half of the 58 passengers on board were vomitting.  These flat landers are NOT built for the ocean! 

The most disappointing part of the experience for me was that Colt and Khye could not participate in any activities without us.  For a year they have been excited to see Wally, the large maori fish, that is more a pet dog that a fish.  The boat's photographer did get a picture of Howard with Wally but we were all too sick to look at or buy it.  My 4 boys were so amazing and so understanding about the entire adventure.  There was no complaining from any of them, even when we were all so sick.  For that I am grateful.  And so, the Great Barrier Reef will forever be a strong memory for our family....sadly, not in the way that we had imagined!

Monday - July 9
Still feeling the effects of yesterday's adventures, we packed up our motorhome in the rain and began the 1700 km journey from Cairns to Brisbane.  It's easy on the kids to drive in the rain and I love it too with good music or a good book.  As for the driver...I'm not so sure he appreciated our wet week on the road!  After leaving Cairns, we passed through Edmonton and Innisfail!

Tuesday - July 10
I don't think you're allowed to come to Queensland and not see the Great Barrier Reef.  Because of our disappointing first attempt, we had to find a way to bring the reef to us!  At Townsville, we visited the aquarium and did a little "snorkelling" without getting our hair wet!  Leaving Townsville in the middle of the afternoon, we drove as far as Airlie Beach.

Wednesday - July 11
Some of the campgrounds that we have stayed at are amazing.  The attractions for the kids are oustanding.  There are outdoor movies, waterparks, pools, jumping pillow, tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds, pedal carts, pool tables, ping pong tables and on and on!  This morning, the sun was shining so we took advantage of this beautiful pool.  The water was very cold but the boys were brave and before long, it was difficult to tear them away!

The weather soon proved to be difficult again as the rain continued to pour down.  The original plan was to spend a day or two exploring the amazing Whitsunday Islands but that is yet another addition to our "next time" list.  We were on the road again and landed in Yeepoon near Rockhampton.  We spent lots of time watching movies and TV in our motorhome this week.

Thursday - July 12
This morning, Colt and Kent were rewarded for their excellent behaviour during the drive yesterday and the got to rent the pedal carts.  Khye later joined in because he was very good MOST of the time,  (Read between the lines here...it's been a long week of driving!) 

The trip today was wet again.  The boys played cards, coloured, played electronics and ate.  They fought and slept too.  The drive to Bundaberg was not long.  There was no room at the Big 4 (the campgrounds we usually stay at) so we found a locally owned campground and it was 1/2 the price.  Rather than stay in the motorhome yet again, we took the boys to the 3D movie Ice Age 4.  We haven't been to the movies in forever....great plan!

Friday - July 13 - Happy 89th Birthday, Great Bopa Who Sticks His Teeth Out!
We woke up this morning and you won't believe what we saw!  More rain!!  Enough already!  We were off to the Bundaberg Rum Factory for a tour and tasting.  It was interesting but not as yummy as some people might think.  Now, if you could get us to a whiskey making factory...that might be a different story!  It was fun all the same.  After the tour, it was off to Forest Glen just outside of Brisbane.  This is the first heated pool of our vacation and the boys spent hours in there.  I worked the laundromat overtime and went home with full, clean suitcases! (Oh the things that make a mom happy!)

Saturday - July 14
This is it....the last day of our winter holidays.  And you know what?  The sun is shining and we are sweating hot!!  How crazy is that?  We returned the motorhome in Brisbane and were 3 hours early for our flight.  We ate, played, watched a movie and wrote letters while waiting to check in.  On our short hop to Sydney, Colt lost his tooth!  The tooth fairy had also visited Kent during our holiday.  Those two did the same thing a couple of months ago....I think they're up to something! 

After arriving in Sydney at 6:00 pm, we gathered our luggage and headed for home.  Howard braved the long, dark drive on a Saturday night.  Oh the things we will do so that boys don't have to miss their footy games!  We arrived home at 1:30 am and were up by 7:00 am to get ready for the 4 games.  The Tooth Fairy even brought Colt some money...she did well to catch us all asleep!

These winter holidays did not work out exactly like we thought they might....some parts were better and some parts.....will be better "next time"!  We have now travelled the east coast of Australia from Cape Tribulation to Sydney...around 3000 km one way...and have seen many amazing sights.  This will be our last big "Australian adventure" as we are heading to New Zealand for the spring holidays in September.   

We certainly are beginning to feel like we "know" this country but also want to experience so much more.   Until "next time"... JJ




Check out heaps more pictures under More/ Winter Holidays.