http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/travellingmum/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from travellingmum en-us Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:07:07 +0000 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:07:07 +0000 About two months ago as the weather cooled... my little ones said to me... It must be time for the Ekka again soon MumOH OHSo now that is is established that the kids think The EKKA is one of our family traditions see last years entry The EKKA aka The Royal Queensland Show we the parents had to suck it up pull up our socks and suffer in our jocks... heee heeeSo this year with generous moneta http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-309913.html great weekend... whhoooo hoooo... Anzac day was a long weekend. After paying our respects to those who have fought in wars we headed off on a family holiday to visit friends in Noosa and Gympie.We were able to crash a nice resort. Our friends from Melbourne were staying there. There were no staff to kick us out so we made use of the spa pool and bbq area and had a great time catching up with http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Gympie/blog-270641.html HolidaysWith easter being very early this year hasnt been this early in like 90 years and wont be this early again for another 235 So it will be the only time in my life celebrating this early. So Easter came and went and then 2 weeks later we have the Easter holidays that aren't on Easter so we shall call them the Autumn holidaysAs we had an extra guest for the holidays my nephew We http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-266159.html Manly Pool Swimming CarnivalThe Church Swimming Carnival was postponed. This is why we were swimming in the FREEZING... March weather. If you aren't from Australia it would be counted as a nice warm day possibly even hot but for us locals if the temperature is under 25 degrees celcius well we are just plain cold.It probably didn't help that the pool was situated at Manly a seaside subu http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-261090.html We had a fantastic Easter and we didn't even really go away anywhere just here and there.We spent a lovely Good Friday dyeing eggs baking hot cross buns then headed of to the grandparents and went swimming in their somewhat heated pool so nice to still be swimming very relaxing well that is if you don't count the crazy kids bomb diving on top of us. We then headed down to the water and h http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-259432.html A weekend of afternoon gatherings picnics formal dress and food. What better way to spend my time A Black Tie Engagement Party in the Botanic Gardens and a Birthday Party at Bunyaville State Forest. No rain either Amazing We even saw a some animals http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-251849.html Australia Day this year fell on a Saturday So being the greedy Australians we are we still get to have the holiday on a weekday so we can have a day off work. This turned this years Australia day into a 3 day long weekend. With school starting up on Tuesday monday was the end of holidays. We had a beach day planned with my husbands wonderful young adult group.It has rained nearly all sum http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Gold-Coast/Burleigh-Heads/blog-240275.html MERRY CHRISTMAS Wishing all our friends and family a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR Enjoy our Christmas photos. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-224895.html I WENT IN A HOT AIR BALLOON... ALL I CAN SAY IS WOOO HOOOOOAfter 6 weeks of failed attempts we finally floated over Brisbane.With no phone call by 4am to call it off I jumped in the car and headed there as 430am is leaving time. We glimpsed a beautiful sunrise from the park and were then crammed into a 4WD 9 of us in the back and driven north as the winds were blowing south westerly so w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-229531.html We are on our way to the Ballet. Our first time actually. So not really sure what to expect lots of people prancing around in tights We had various things to do before we arrived and after completing the list early we went to New Farm park to spend some time before we had to pick up a friend also coming to the ballet. Well we were very lucky. Last time I went to the Park the roses had bee http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-227723.html La la la la la la la la la la la la lala ....After about 15 years of wanting to go to the Carols held in the Botanic Gardens in the city we finally went. We decided the girls were old enough to sit through a couple of hours. We left the baby and daddy at home so it was just a girls night. As the clouds cleared up we got our chairs and bags blankets pillows etc and lined up to http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-226206.html Getting ready for the Christmas Season.We LOVE Christmas in our home.We have been making a christmas video putting up the tree decorating lots of crafts building gingerbread houses yes multiple going to parties carols dancing.Hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and look out for the christmas day blog with best wishes for all our friends and family. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-223064.html Surprise Party at Alexandra HeadsI should have had exciting details from a hot air balloon ride... ....lots of photos of beautiful Brisbane and lots of hot self portraits of yours truly from 1000 ft upbut alas.....NO BALLOON FOR YOUComing from a town with a ongoing drought severe water restrictions and 4 min showers.... It has been raining for the last two weeks on and off.... and surpris http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Sunshine-Coast/blog-222456.html Going up the mountain... well Hill.... hhmmm... Mt Cootha Due to the high number of students we have we like to take them to Mt Cootha to look at the view of Brisbane. As we have a full car due to the 3 kids we can't always take them. As of last week we have a french student living with us so we quickly raced up the hill while daddy was busy giving us enough room.It was a nice warm day so th http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/Mt-Coot-tha/blog-214876.html South Brisbane CemeteryToday we got to join in a race around the Cemetery......Photo clues were compiled previously. We get into teams on the day. Teams try and collect the most answers from the gravestones. Winners announced and then we eatWe were given a page of photos and the instructions to find the headstones and fill in the blanked out information. The point of this all was to teach us abo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-212795.html Monkey Magic Macadamia's Monopoly Motor biking and Mulberries.All these M's pretty much sum up our trip to Gympie which was definately filled with lots of RR... Rest and Recreation What a wonderful tripWith a hire car 4WD our car was in the shop we set off to visit friends in Gympie to spoil our children for the school holidays.... well we had no other plans or bookings anywhere... so http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Gympie/blog-206605.html This is a compilation of photo's from various outings to New Farm Park On a recent Saturday morning we were having a breakfast with the ladies from church. While we were waiting we went down the the river bank under a tree. There was a thud sound and we went closer to investigate. A really big and heavy seed had fallen out of the tree. We look up and see that the tree is full of seeds. I tell th http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-136349.html Niagara FallsBuffulo New York was a fairly tired looking run down looking town. A kilometer away in Canada its like Las Vegas nice buildings and streets lookouts casinos the people looked happier.... generally much much nicer.... maybe the United States felt that since Niagara had all the excitement stitched up they felt it would be a waste of money to try and compete So they basically http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Niagara-Falls/blog-129524.html Dancing with glowsticks.... Roar of the F1 11... The Fireworks start. HurrayRiverFire is hereWe started off with a BBQ with family to celebrate Fathers Day and to use it as an excuse to get together and watch the fireworks. While we leisurely ate food we watched from our varandah as car after full car drove by all occupants scanning for empty car spaces. Very sad the street filled up quickl http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-198139.html Driving he passes me the letter Can you open this for me what is it I open thinking it is registered mail for our business not thinking anything suspicious at all.... Lyric Theatre tickets it takes a moment for my mind to realise what it is. He has a cheeky grin I am totally surprised. Tickets for Miss Saigon near the front. VERY EXPENSIVE What a surprise We drive on looking fo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-195766.html