Week 23

Darwin

 

Monday 3rd June

We stayed at the Free Spirit Caravan Park (Great park. The van got side swiped by a leaving van on arrival… on the second day the local firies decided to do a burn off right behind the park and the van stinks of smoke and was covered in ash…) next to our site a bloke was welding in view of the kids and angle grinding…. Joy… oh..yeah… and the bats crapping on our awning every morning.. thanks very much….

Palmerston Water Park, the kids loved this park it’s a great free water park. Not sure how may time that Zach and Amity went down the slide.

Tuesday 4th June

Drove around Darwin, looked at the Waterfront, city, water parks, Howard springs rock pools. Palmerston Water park again Jake slipped over cutting elbow, Mum and Dad raced Am and Zach on the water sides. Jake was only 2cm too short to go on it. Caravan park activities – colouring in and the jumping pillow was utilised by Dad Curtis and Jake.

 

Stokes hill wharf

 

Wednesday 5th June

Car gas service…fingers crossed they can fix it. A day at the caravan park waiting….waiting… Curtis and Jake did the morning colouring activities. The gas service was done . hooray! We then spent the rest of the day at the Leanyer Waterpark, another free water Park in Darwin suburbs.

Thursday 6th June

6am up to pick up Flick from the airport…. Caravan serviced at 8am, Flick was very tired from the flight so we left her in the van for a sleep whilst we shopped for a new booster seat for Jake.

We took Flick to the Leanyer water park and then onto the Mindil Beach sunset market.

 (Mum and Dad arrive late in the evening and Jake ran up and gave Grandpa a big hug.  ) The atmosphere was amazing, the food, entertainment and stall were all good to see. We sat and ate dinner while watching another lovely sunset.

 

Friday 7th June

We went and had a look at the museum / art gallery. They had an interactive area for the kids. Guy and I enjoyed learning more about cyclone Tracey and the affects it had on Darwin

Went for a drive to East Point Reserve, past Fannie bay

The Military museum @ East Point Reserve was a great place to visit. They had a Bombing of Darwin video showing when we arrived.  Jake was taking all the information in and commenting throughout the video, his understanding was pretty good for a 4 year old, but he just couldn’t get an understanding of time, as he wanted to know if the bad guys where going to find our caravan and bomb it, we tried to explain it to him, but it didn’t help that an F-18 fighter jet flew past that made it all that little be real for him.

We decided to take the kids to Aquascene, where they could feed fish on high tide. It’s a little pricey for what it is but it’s an experience. Jake was mesmerised by the amount of fish. Curtis was quite not sure about it all. He was happy throwing bread from a distance until Dad picked him up and put his feet in the water to touch the fish.  Amity and Zach enjoyed it too.

Saturday 8th June

Crocosaurus Cove. We enjoyed the visit but think the admission cost was too steep for the experience you get. Rach wished we had of gone to Crocoplyus Park but it was 50 50 split. The kids still got to hold a baby croc, snake, Bearded dragon, and blue tongue lizard and fed bay salty croc with a fishing rod. The kids enjoyed the experience. The turtle enclosure was closed, and the Croc’s where tiered and not that hungry at feeding time except the baby crocs that the kids got to feed.

Nando’s lunch. Ah, how we have missed eating there. After not having it since Perth it was nice to have it. Now we have one state in Australia that we haven’t had Nandos and that’s Tassie. Hmmm extend the trip!!! Correction Guy has eaten in every state.

Darwin Waterfront. We went here in the afternoon to cool of the temp was 36 deg and humid. Once we were there we didn’t see much of Zach or Amity they went off on their own and enjoy the freedom.

Sunday 9th June

We spent the time at the Van Park cathing up on washing, Zach and Amity’s school work. Then we went to the Palmerston water park again too cool down. Then we went for a drive and had a look at the Charles Darwin nature park, and headed back to the Van to let Curtis have a sleep.

Monday 10th June

Zach, Grandpa and Dad went on an early morning, half day fishing charter.  Zach enjoying some boy time, with Dad and Grandpa, as much fun as it was they wished they caught more fish. Grandpa catching the only fish legal size to take home and that was dew fish, Zach caught a juvenile shark, and guy caught a Mother in-law fish, baby cod, little red fish and a strippy yellow and silver fish which was used for bait oh and a piece of coral. Very technical names I know but that’s there description. Zach said his croc burger tasted nice.

The day was a day of doing last minute washing and shopping before we head down to go across to Queensland.

Tuesday 11th June 

We said good bye to Nana, Grandpa and Aunty Felicity.

 Now we head for QUEENSLAND! Hooray!