Doing the RAW Challenge Gold Coast with Kids. First version published in Kids on the Coast, Aug 2018 My nine year old stands with his seven year old brother at the lip of a trench, both of them eyeing the muddy water doubtfully. I wade straight in, my battered old sneakers squishing in the marshy…
Category: Travel Tales
My stories from when I went to places and did stuff. Plus some photos, because I just can’t help myself.
Christmas Lights.
Hi! Just popping in to say I hope you had a loverly Chrissy! AND a loverly New Year’s, AND a loverly Straya Day if you are in Oz – I was going to post this before the end of the year, but didn’t. Hey, I’m only a month late! It’s been pretty hectic around here – a few…
Alice in Wonder-Where-I-Am-Land.
Remember blimmin’ months ago when I promised to tell you about the time I went for a stroll around the block, decided to go off-trail into the bush and nearly put myself into a survival situation? Well I’m finally making good. It happened on Easter Sunday. I remember it well, because I’d eaten a shitload of chocolate and was…
Bloomin’ Fantastic!
Since we got back from New Zealand a few people have been asking me when’s the best time to head over for skiing. To which I helpfully answer I dunno. Although the South Island has pretty good snow throughout the season, generally it gets the best dumps of snow either at the start of the season (July) or towards the end (September)….
Wana Walk? (Diamond Lake, NZ.)
Wanaka, Day 2. Not sore from snowboarding for the first time EVER!! … Miracles do happen! Could be thanks to that (SO GOOD) soak in the spa yesterday. Those things should be compulsory in all holiday houses, like toilets. Spent a lazy Sunday morning sitting on the balcony soaking up the spring sunshine with a cuppa tea and boysenberry jam…
The Journey From Sandgroper to Snowfaceplanter. (Cardrona, New Zealand)
nb for the non-Strayans out there a ‘sandgroper’ is another name for a West Australian. It’s quite an agreeable nickname really, considering we call Queenslanders “banana benders”, South Australians “crow eaters” and New South Welshpersons “cockroaches”. I’ll never forget seeing snow for the first time. It was 1994, I was 19, and on my first trip overseas, visiting Mosey who…
Mosey’s Berfdy Bonus Brag Book!
This post is for you Mosey! AKA that annoying awesome sister of mine – Justine, who had a big birthday recently! I’ve been AWOL from here for over a month because I’m making her a rather large photo brag book. It should come in handy as her memory is no doubt starting to go. (Mosey this is…
The Wilds of Suburbia: Burleigh Head National Park, QLD.
Disclaimer: Not sponsored. But you know that by now. Burleigh Heads is a little town on the Gold Coast that’s like a ‘best of’. It has everything on the Goldie in one place (well, except for the theme parks) but on a smaller scale; gorgeous beaches and surf breaks, a wildlife park just up the road, cafes and restaurants, parks…
One 5th birthday party, 4 months late, with 36 kids & a hangar full of blown up stuff.
As I might’ve whinged about previously, Rory’s birthday falls first thing in January and I’m shithouse at getting organised in time. Every year! So this year being the year he turned five and started school I said let’s have your party a couple of weeks after school starts, then we can invite your new class! Roars thought this was…
Sneaky Little Getaway. (Flat Rock, NSW)
We finally went camping again! Just a short trip, down the coast near Ballina in New South Wales for a couple of nights. We timed it before the Easter holidays because campgrounds are better when they aren’t full and summer’s been over for a month already and we’d promised the boys our next camping trip wouldn’t be in the middle of winter again. On the…
End of (Summer) Days.
100th post! My maiden century! I had a very different post in mind to mark this milestone, but this one will be more fun. And it haz pretty pictures! Thanks so much for stopping by. Maybe you’ve been here before – thanks for that too! Quite possibly you are my mum, sister or husband and have read most…
There’s Something About Mapua. (Mapua, New Zealand)
(That’s MAH-pua, not Muh-POO-a; less emphasis on the ‘poo’.) Disclaimer: Not sponsored. Did it for love. If you’re wondering where to go for your next summer holiday, want gorgeous beaches and sunny days, with great food and wilderness experiences and a laid back vibe without huge crowds, I suggest you get your arse to Tasman, in the…
Still Not A Journal. 