Sunday 24 July 2011

Two great days with Dougie

Port Dougie is definitely turning it on for us.  The weather has been perfect and we have had 2 sensational days gorging ourselves and working on our marketing.  Yesterday Paul and Karen joined us at Mossman Gorge where we had a nice walk and a climb over some rocks to a secluded spot where we had a picnic lunch.  A beautiful Ulysses butterfly flew down to say hi then we made our way back for a swim in the rock pools and I blew up the tyre for a run down the falls.  Then we went back to the marina for a beer and some fish and chips followed by the crocodile hunter movie before bed.








Both Arch and I had a swim to try and beat the current, and just got through!
Then today after our Sunday bacon and eggs cook up we hit the Dougie market and Kirst got some new clothes for an early birthday pressie, we had some sugar cane drink with lime and ginger which was ok and the boys got rubber band guns.  We hung out at the park in the arvo which was very relaxing, with people playing bongos and people tight rope walking, then we did a walk up to the lookout, got some icecreams then walked right around the headland on the rocks with the boys fighting off the enemy with their guns.  Then we finished the day with a beer at the marina and dinner at the Beach Shack, and said goodbye to Paul and Karen who are heading further north tomorrow.
 Can you spot Arch up the tree?



 Apparently you can still surf up here off the outer reefs!
 We rode our bikes along the whole beach up and back the other day!
Miami Vice- Crockett, Tubbs and the Lieutenant
Wooz lost his other tooth too, and now NaDan has a loose one! They're all becoming toofless, and now Wooz can sing happy birthday like Pa with his teeth out.

Lummos are coming up to Dougie tomorrow for some more Hall boy action.

Friday 22 July 2011

Endless Summer II

Well we have finally hit the endless summer.  If there was surf up here it would be as good as you get for a long winter destination for the southerners, the weather has been mid twenties and beautiful for weeks now, while Melbourne freezes.  But there are still plenty of things to do if you don't want to be a grey nomad and just polish your caravan all day.  So Arch and I had a go of the cable wakeboarding the other day.  It was bloody hard hanging on when you haven't done it before and Arch kept making it to the furthest corner and falling off and then had to run all the way back (it took a good 5mins) to line up for another go.  I am nice and sore in the arms and shoulders, 2 days later, and it probably cost me in our latest pool obstacle race with Arch beating me by 2 secs.  Woodley and Nathanial are definitely improving with their swimming now, but they weren't comfortable with the cable skiing, so they got behind the camera and took some memorable shots.




Yesterday was our last day at the Big4 with the big coconuts in Cairns so we enjoyed relaxing around the whale pool in the morning, then had a huge mini golf and volleyball challenge with Paul and Karen with Paul, Wooz and Gazza taking out the volleyball 2 sets to 1.  We then went down the Nade to the Goon to catch up with Al who has settled in nicely to her new lifestyle and even has a boat licence now!
So today we packed up and ventured a little further north to the beautiful Port Douglas.  We are in the GlenGarry Big4 with an ensuite and it is nice and cosy with lots of trees.  We then took a bike ride 6 km into town and about 3 of those on the beach.  Did a shop, got an icecream and rode back into the wind with some very tired young men.  Nothing a nice tooheys old and stirfry under the stars can't fix!



Tomorrow we are of to Mossy Gorge for some rainforest action.

Tuesday 19 July 2011

Lumos

We have just spent a couple of days with the Lummos.  I have called this blog Lumos however, meaning illuminated, because that was how it felt to spend some time with the Lord's family.  They came to us first and we had a big brekky cook up and then they took us down to the Cairns esplanade for a play, coffees, icecreams, a swim and then some Chinese food full of MSG which kept us up all 
night!
 



Then after a day's break we went to Infinity (Trinity) beach and the Lord cooked up a feast for lunch.  Wooz bit into Kristy's rice and his tooth finally fell out after many days of pulling, prodding and bleeding. We walked down the beach at icecream o'clock and had a great game of soccer with James and Rhonda going head to head in the goal square and Wooz running rings around the Lord.  Nat and Mae became good friends and then we left for a quick jam at the skatepark.
The day in between was spent at Kuranda and we have some great comparison photos from 6 years ago when we went there last.






Had a nice trip up this time on the skyway and the train down and after a few crazy boy shots Arch became photographer and took about 100 photos like a professional.
One of Archer's great shots.
The boys loved the butterfly house and Daddy was scared of the them.
Until he made friends and took the magic shot below (definitely award winning)
NaDan is the butterfly whisperer.
Wooz and the butterfly are one.
Then we hit birdworld and got attacked by the evil Macaw. 



The train was a nice relaxing trip and the boys hammed it up for Arch the photographer
Wooz and NaDan are angry

Mummy and Daddy are in love

Oh my God it's It.
We're goin in.

Oh Arch you're beautiful.
The boys climbed the tree while they waited for me to get the car.
A few shots from underwater camera to finish.  We just got them developed and they are from Blue Pearl Bay in the Whitsundays, that's Arch below.