Clare - Easter Bunny arrives in town

Anyone would thing the kids were a tad excited this morning. Dylan woke up at 5:30 and thought it would be ok to start looking around the caravan for any "bunny droppings". And that is before taking into account the hour the clocks needed to be turned back. Grrrrr. 

After threatening him with Easter being cancelled if he didn't go back to sleep, he lay quietly, but with one eye watching for any sign of movement from us. 

It was about 7 o'clock when Tracy decided to sit up which was his ticket to leap out of bed, razz up Tyler and Kayla and race around the van like a fox chasing the Easter Bunny. 

He managed to wolf down about 3 eggs before we took all the eggs off all of them to avoid any early morning vomiting, and they were off to the jumping pillow for the rest of the morning. 

I did manage to get some pancakes cooked for Kayla, but even they weren't as good as chocolate eggs, so that mix has been stashed in the fridge for another day. 

This holiday has been fantastic with all the kids only fighting once or twice a day, but playing away from the campsite for the whole time.  (Which generally gave us a license to open a bottle of wine prior to lunchtime and continue on until we couldn't eat or drink another thing. )

Today we never left the caravan park and enjoyed what appeared to be our last gone sunny day. The showers are supposed to set in overnight, which should make packing up so much fun with the ground turning into mud and everything getting wet as we try to pack up. 

In the meantime, we are spending yet another night sitting around the bonfire, drinking copious amounts of wine and generally chatting about the day. 

Has been a great holiday with perfect weather in a great location. Have a great set of videos that I will be stringing together when I get home and publishing to have a fun reminder

Clare - Easter Saturday

Despite having way too much red wine yesterday afternoon, I think the early night was my saving grace and the reason why I woke up feeling fine this morning. Phew. 

The kids have been playing a game in the creek behind our van for the last 2 days and were immediately over there again this morning after breakfast, and with the weather climbing towards a beautiful 26 degrees today, that meant us adults could just sit and relax with books in the morning sunlight. Just fantastic. 

Before we knew it, everyone was back at the campsite looking for lunch. I was pretty excited by that, because it meant we were heading off to the wineries soon. 

Headed off to Annie's Lane 1st, as it has always been one of my favourites. Tasted a few, bought a few. Job done. 

Next stop was almost directly across the main road at Crabtree. This one was more of a boutique family winery, but unfortunately wasn't overly nice wines either. Didn't stop is trying them all though. 

Rob had done a superb job at looking after ALL the kids (with help from Daniel) whilst we alcoholics were tasting the wines, but nicely bowed out of visiting anymore, so Nicole and the kids returned back to camp with him and left us to actually look after our own kids. 

We decided to only visit one more and chose one that we haven't been to before, and that was Jeanerett Wines.  This has turned out to be my new favourite Cellar Door. Beautiful wines, a really pleasant guy serving us, and a great big cat picture book to keep the kids entertained. Again, we relieved him of a few of his nicest bottles, and then called it quits and set back to camp, where of course we got out some of the finest cheeses and a taste of each of the wines we just bought. 

Another great way to end the afternoon. 

Clare - day 2

The day started with the usual bacon and eggs for breakfast, and not much else. 

It soon got to lunch time which seemed to be the appropriate time to finish off the bottle of red wine that Tracy didn't manage to empty last night. That seemed to be the trigger to then open and finish another 2 bottles before tea time, and as such, I was pretty well gone by dinner time. However, a big feed, a hot shower and sitting around the fire started a second wind and we kicked on. 

We had a visit for a few hours from Ben and Clare Baker today, but other than that the day was spent drinking (by me) and stopping the kids fighting with each other. Sitting around the fire and chatting about nothing was the true symbol of what camping is all about. 

Look out Clare

It rained last night. I assumed that was simply because it is Easter and we are about to set off glamping. 

As it turned out , today's weather was perfect. The kids got home from school and the race to leave was on. 

We all bundled in and set off for Clare, shortly before 4:30pm. 

About 15 minutes down the road when we hit the 1st 80km/hr zone, the "Tracy must sleep" curse cut in and I was left to talk to myself as the kids had their noses buried in their iPads. 

Just over 2 hours later, we had arrived. I declared that my job had been completed - I got us to our destination safely - and therefore it was time to have a drink. 

Olivia and Daniel had already arrived, albeit only 5 minutes earlier, with Nic & Rob arriving 20 minutes later. 

We had a great meat and pasta meal heated up on the caravan stove, that Tracy had made before falling asleep, which made life very easy and was topped off by cracking a bottle of red. 

Beautiful weather tonight as we all sit around drinking and talking rubbish. 

Whispering wall

Tanunda
9th March

A lot of stuff got packed away last night due to the forecast of morning rain, but thankfully everything was still dry when we got up.
I reckon this was one of the most relaxed pack-up mornings I ever remember having... probably helped by the fact that I knew there was no boom gate at the entrance and we could basically leave anytime we wanted.
The kids took off to play some cricket (and stay out of our way) whilst we got everything organised, and we were off before 10am.
We made a detour to the Whispering Wall at Williamstown, which is basically a 144m curved dam wall, that unexpectedly created a natural phenomenon of being able to transmit our voices from one end to the other due to its shape.
An hour later we were home... an hour later we were unpacked, and the rest of the afternoon was spent washing, tidying, playing on the computer (me...), ironing (not me...).
Early to bed tonight.

Wine Tasting

Tanunda
8th March


Today started a little damp even though it was totally unexpected.
It had showered very lightly a few hours earlier - just enough to dampen everything except our spirits.
I decided to justify my bacon and egg sandwich by going for a walk once Tracy came back from her morning power walk. I suspect mine was a whole lot easier, and the fact that I ended up at the local Foodland purchasing an Iced Coffee was a true symbol of how serious I was.


After arriving back at camp, we all (Well the Hardy's and us - the Marbles had already set off), and bundled into the cars and took off to visit some wineries. First stop was at the local metwurst store, where I am sure the lady had the shock of her lice seeing 6 overly excited kids (the Hardy's and us) come barrelling inside and asking to taste each and every sample available  after bundling them outside, we managed to taste a few and pocked one to bring back for the afternoon feast. Next stop was Kaisler, where I decided to start growing my taste sensations and chose all Shiraz. Turns put they were pretty nice, so I bought a bottle to "sip" this afternoon.
Somehow we next ended up at the playground in Nuriootpa, where we kept the kids entertained for 10 minutes or so..
Peter Lehman was next on-route, and is always a favourite, albeit a little expensive. I worked my way through the selection of 13 different Shiraz varieties, but the wallet made the final decision, because at $30 a bottle, I wasn't about to go any higher.

The trip back to the caravan park involved stopping at Foodland again for some cheeses and biscuits for this afternoons pig out, and then finally got on our way.
We came back and had the obligatory BBQ lunch and a few drinks, and then what seemed only an hour later, I set up a platter of cheeses, garlic metwurst and biscuits and started gathering the troops.
The drinks started flowing and the platter started disappearing. The atmosphere was getting funnier the more the alcohol was getting lower, until the wasps made it too uncomfortable to have the food out any longer.
We then realised it was past the kids tea time, so the alcohol took a well earned break and we started acting like parents again for a few hours.
Last night tonight.... has been great weekend a good short break only an hour away from home. definitely on the list for a quick weekend away.

South Aussie with Cosi

Tanunda
Saturday 7th March




After a few too many wines last night, I crashed pretty solidly and was happily snoring away when Tracy woke me up around midnight to let me know sleep was not going to happen with the guys about 3 vans away enjoying catching up over an entire esky of beer. So now that I was awake, I did the manly man job of puffing out my chest and walking over to them in my satin boxer shorts and ugg boots to let them know that being this loud at midnight is not ok unless I was invited. And quite clearly I wasn't.
I climbed back into bed and crashed instantly, finding out this morning that they apparently carried on for another hour, so needless to say, Tracy wasn't in her usual morning cheery self..
Once we were all up, Nicole decided she needed to go for a run, Tracy and Olivia went for separate walks (although I think it was a ploy to just meet up in the main street of Tanunda for coffee) and I cooked up a storm of bacon and eggs. I am still convinced my morning routine is a much better option than all these exercise based ones 


At 11am, the temporary whale water slide opened and the kids were off. They spent the next 2 hours playing on the slide, in the pool and the jumping pillow,  whilst I started checking out the wine tasting.... which was ok, but all it really did was start my appetite for getting a full glass from the van and enjoying the day.

About this time, Cosi from South Aussie with  Cosi, turned up and started filming. I got my 5 minutes of fame by being filmed getting my 5th top up of wine and when asked how was it, all I could think of saying was "not big enough!" We then had a look at the 20 foot white rhino and giraffe that Cosi had bought from a guy at 1770 in Central QLD. Dylan managed to get himself filmed onto the jumping pillow - complaining of course that there were too many kids in his way to do his front flips. Apparently it isn't being aired till September, but it is going to be well worth the watching.




The afternoon was spent sitting around the vans, having a drink or 3, and just relaxing the way caravanning allows us to.
I just love this lifestyle. Pity that I need to work to pay for it to happen.

Tanunda - Here we come

Tanunda
Friday 6th March




We picked up the kids on Friday night from school, with the caravan hooked up and squeezed through the back streets of Hahndorf eagerly waiting for the last school bell to sound so we could get going.
I had my best camping clothes on already with my weekend gardening shorts, black socks halfway up my legs and a polo shirt better suited to someone half my size- but I was comfortable and these days, that is what is most important. Tracy was so proud that she took off ahead and dis-owned me to avoid the embarrassment of being associated with me in front of all those school friends.

The kids were finally bundled in the car and we were off. We had a massive 81 km to travel for this trip, but like clockwork, the moment we hit 80km/hr, Tracy fell asleep and left me talking to myself about all the roadside sites to see.
Less than an hour later we arrived. Tracy went into the office while the rest of us spent what seemed like 2 hours in the car waiting for the financials to be sorted. Finally we got in, and set the van up. We have at last got things organised enough that setup is now less than an hour...... Meaning I can sit down and crack open a coldie ... And that is the best part about camping.

Turns out this park is a hive of activity over the next few days. South Aussie with Cosi (Andrew Costello) are here tomorrow filming and there are multiple kids activities, along with a BBQ and wine tasting for those of us that are a little older and like a bevvy or 2.

Cheers till tomorrow.