Larrikin Lodge Mackay

... can still have one term of kindy before starting school. So I think we will leave the van in Brisbane with David and Chris, collect it after xmas and tootle down the east coast, saving WA for some other trip in the future.

On Sunday we had our own xmas day, starting with a walk down to the beach with the dogs, pancake breakfast and Dad's delicious honey prawns for dinner. The kids loved their presents - Lucy got a cabbage patch doll which eats food very noisily ...

... in and had to be woken to begin the celebrations. Wayne and Gill had left presents on the front door step which included two they’d brought up from Melbourne from Mum and Dad and Nina so Maegs would get a visual surprise before joining us to unwrap them.

Our 8yr old girl was beside herself with excitement, her favourite pressie was the Baby Alive doll and accessories (c/o W&G), we are amazed that she is such a maternal soul at her tender age. Both ...

The Trip to Mackay north of Brisbane and approximately half way to Cairns was unpleasant but relatively short ... Having arrived at Brisbane airport and checked our bags in we went through security and got some food and drink and one of the cafe’s there ... after a long wait we moved ourselves to the gate ...

... on the other side of the resort around the pool and bar area when we walked past. The resort is about 700$ per night so we wont be staying there any time soon (that does include your helicopter transfer from Australia though of course) was nice to see it though anyway. After our walk back to our less expensive but still amazing resort, we decided to do one of the tours they offered. It was a secluded beach picnic. Basically they take you from the resort on a speed ...

... went along it. (And the icing on the cake was when Erik called us!! Yay!) We went out for lunch today for the first time as well, not a fancy place at all, Subway to be exact, and today is Meatball Monday, so for under $10 we both ate our fill :)(our first eating out and we ended up at subway...hmmm, backpacker budget I guess.) Tonight, after a bit of a snack we are going to see the new Indiana Jones movie at the cinema, we are both looking forward to a little ...

... sign of creative intellectuals that attempt to avoid succumbing to the false ideologies imposed on us by society. Anyways, Byron was a much needed inspirational treat! We also spent some time in some beautiful parks, wandering in the tropical forests, gazing at waterfalls. It was a really beautiful area. I spent 2 weeks in Coolangatta, which felt pretty claustrophobic to me. Absolutely beautiful, white sand beaches, but very built up and ...

It would be another overnighter to get up to Airlee Beach. The trip began pleasantly enough - I was watching the movies, and I met another American guy that happened to be sitting across from me. The bus drivers worked in shifts, and the second one that came on was a little off, hilariously off. They give the driver a microphone to make important announcements about stops and breaks and such but this guy decided to use it to have a ...