Happy little campers

Hi di hi, ho di ho - Good morning campers!

As it's school hols we have taken off for a few days to explore some of this vast country that we now call home.

I'm 'mobile blogging' this morning and my ipad keeps telling me that I don't have the latest version of this, that and the other so I'll see how it goes...

Anyhow, we did our usual five minute pack and out the driveway with a "shall we turn left or right?" attitude, and we have found ourselves on the coast in central Queensland.

We have seen a glorious sunset over the water in Tin Can Bay, watched the gliders land on the sand at Rainbow Beach, seen dolphins looking for breakfast, Sibs has ridden a camel(!), been to an education Water Park, visited the Bunderburg Ginger Beer factory and today we are on the way to a place called Seventeen Seventy.

We need these kind of holidays. They're a chance to re-charge batteries and re-connect with each other.

These kind of holidays make me realise that we're a good team....

There are no rules (well apart from the fun ones), and the three of us just click. No big discussions about what we're doing or where we're going. Just a tentative plan and the trusty 'Lonely Planet' guide book to give us some suggestions.

I love the fact that we go to bed early, each of us with our noses in a book and we wake up at dawn nose to nose...that's special.

I love the way that we fall into taking on certain jobs. Sibs volunteering to wash up is a real novelty!

I love the casual chats that we have whilst driving and the simple made up games that we play.
(although I have to admit to getting a little bit over 'I spy' after the fiftieth time!

The other two are having a swim in the sea as I type and I'm doing a bit of people watching, then we'll head off for a coffee before hitting the road again.

Go to love school holidays...

A horse ride in the mountains.

I love school holidays...

I delight in the fact that we can slow down a little and get away from the usual routines.

Quite a few months ago I wrote about our "We should" box (here).

In this box we place little notes to remind ourselves of things that we would like to do. One note said that we should go horse riding. I'm ashamed to say that the note was put in there in January!

Anyhow, better late than never so yesterday my girl and I went for a horse ride up in the mountains.

We left the city and travelled up towards the Sunshine Coast, turning off the highway to Maleny. It was a lovely route up through the Glass House Mountains. After a spot of lunch in the town we wound up the mountains a little further to Witta. We had previously stayed with Farmer Ross and his wife Robyn at Wattle Gully and had enjoyed a very relaxing weekend in one of their quaint little cottages. Sibs had been riding there before and was very excited to meet up with the horses again.

We got re-acquainted with the horses  and Sibs remembered each one by name (aren't children amazing with their recollections sometimes? ) Farmer Ross gave me a few tips on how to handle the slightly dreamy Star, who sometimes has a little relapse in concentration! Then after a gentle walk around the paddock we got into the saddle and off we went down the road and into the mountains.

It was so peaceful and relaxing - the only sound was the twittering of the birds and the occasional whoop from Sibs when her horse decided to speed up a little (or maybe that was me!).



How can you not switch off with views like this?

We spotted a couple of wallabies playing, but they moved away too quickly for me to take any photos.

After crossing the river we headed back up the hill and the horses definitely knew that they were on the way home! They sped up and it felt like a race to the end....I was holding on for dear life and I could hear Sibs giggling away behind me!

whooa girl!



The last job was to help Farmer Ross with grooming and feeding and then to lead the horses back.

What a great afternoon.

I love school holidays....