Autumn Holidays

Two weeks of school holidays.

Making the most of it.

Slowing down.

Watching the waves

Taking a break

Picnics by the water

Enjoying honeycombs from our friends hive.

Horse riding and potlucks with friends

Sophie had the time of her life!

Checking out the water dragons by the river.

BBQ by the beach

Sharing the rock pools with the wobbegongs

Swimming and exploring

Camping along the beach with friends

Anzac Marching

 Another successful Full Moon get together

 Almost independent.

Date night with hubby: salsa dancing!
With a special Cuban birthday dance for one of the dancers.

Nights are getting nippy, the PJ’s have come out of storage...

Soccer, soccer, soccer.
It's going great, however I’m still a little frazzled with everything involved.
The kids have stepped up, taking on more responsibility. Sophie loves helping out with fundraising, and odd jobs like handing out balls with our new mascot.
Seeing them play from the distance, Alex is this blond tornado whizzing over the field, David with two hands in the air celebrating his first goals, Tim being a wall in defence.

And Sophie finding her feet. 

Playing in the backyard and swimming with the waterlily’s.
Even though the swims in the pool are getting very short.

Enjoying a lazy afternoon at home on this extra pupil free day,
tomorrow is back to school, work and play.

Camping at Hat Head

The Hat Head campground has the awesome layout being enveloped by the Korogoro Creek and the Pacific Ocean. The creek fills up with the tide and is fantastic for all kinds of water activities.

For ten days we got to call this home.

Camping, there is no better way to appreciate your bed, house and their comforts you take for granted!

We like to keep our holidays fairly basic, if we would like a house in the forest with a view on the lake, with a pool and great kitchen, we can just stay home...

Camping is close neighbours, making new friends, exploring, walks for toilets, showers and tap water. No electricity, no fridge, (no coffee machine!) or other electronics.

And after a cold southwesterly, that was raging for days on end, no gazebo. 

The tent (barely) made it through thankfully.

Our luxury was time, 

spend together, 

just hanging out.

Sitting for hours watching the waves.

The kids frolicking in the surf

Or sand

“The Gap”

 “Hat Head Hilton”

 Quiet talks

Going for day trips,
Smoky Cape Lighthouse.

Also a great vantage point to see the big swell caused by king tides combined with a raging south westerly. The beaches were getting mercilessly pounded.

 The gaol ruins at Arakoon.

Picnics in the national park.

 Hikes

After dinner swims.

 Bodyboarding

First thing mentioned when we start packing up again:

“Picking up Tyson again!”

“Sleeping in my own bed!”

“Coffee!”

Urunga

Urunga, 

my deserted beach, 

such a magical place,

just perfect...

Where the Kalang and Bellinger River meet and head out to sea.

The whole boardwalk is one kilometre, from laguna, to mangroves, marches, whirlpool and all the way out to the sea. A gorgeous walk surrounded by the awesome energy of the ever changing water.

Hours of play in the sand, on body boards, snorkelling and adventuring into the mangroves.

While at home the temperatures hit 40 degrees, we were almost cold in the early summer sea water,

and a rather pushy wind in the afternoons.

 And so we spend most afternoons snoozing under a shady tree.
With picnics, books and climbing.

Although we started the first night with Christmas Carols and fireworks in the field right next to us.
A short week camping was a great way to leave the whole Christmas madness behind.
And still be back in time for our last salsa lesson of the year ;-)