As with most holidays, our trip up north was brilliant simply because it was just that - a holiday. It was fantastic to get away from it all, our everyday routine, the activities, the city… kick back and breathe in some fresh country air.

We spent a lot of time outdoors. The weather was stunning. Blazing sunshine and crisp cool air. We built lots of big fires. Roasted potatoes. Sizzled cobs of corn. Toasted marshmallows.

We took strolls along beaches. With no other souls to be seen. Built sand castles and elaborate channels and lakes. Collected excellent specimens of shells, sea sponges and drift wood. Paddled in the water and played in the waves until our jeans were soaked.

We explored the creek. Can’t begin to describe how beautiful it was. Imagine a small stereotypical Australia creek. Over hanging gums and tea trees. Clear cool water trickling across the red brown earth. Bits of bark and sticks caught behind water stones and pebbles. Grass and water wriggling with bugs and frogs and crickets. We built a dam. Caught tadpoles. Found wild melons. It was so much fun.

We also drove into town and discovered a spectacular 2 storey bookshop/cafe - open warehouse style with 2 mezzanine levels, gorgeous floorboards, retro couches, huge windows with a view of the ocean! They served coffee AND chicken + avocado toasted focaccias. We couldn’t possibly ask for more.

We kinda live by a theory, that our kids undergo an amazing surge in development whenever we plunge them into a completely new environment. It’s happened every time we’ve tried it. And it’s something we want to keep doing. So I was really eager to see how my 2½ year old would develop this time.

To my surprise, he turned into a little shit. It was the whole “terrible two” phase all over again. Absolutely defiant. Constantly nagging. Whinging. Crying. Shouting. Screaming.

And the 4 month old was no better. Teething! Feverish. Rashes. Screaming. Drooling. Restless. Clingy. Awake 6 times a night.

Ah well. We had a nice time. And it’s good to be home.
I’m exhausted. But it’s a nice kind of exhaustion.

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