Tuesday 29 April 2014

Bicheno or bust!

After a long Term 1, school holidays finally rolled around, along with Easter.  A long term 1 for the boys, not so much for me.  I quite enjoyed my leisurely weeks of swimming twice a week with Pichu, having long coffee sessions with friends and generally not having to listen to the fighting and bickering that school holidays brings.  Of course, along with the joy of having my darlings at home.  

No wonder I usually pack them all up and head of to Broken Hill, for some much needed cousin distraction and family support.   

Alas, as I was past the 36 week mark in this pregnancy I was unable to fly.  And actually, I was probably just not physically able to.  Considering I cannot walk without some kind of pain from here or there.  And then the stinging pain I get in my back when I have over done things, meaning if I do not sit down (in the exact right position) immediately I feel like lashing out in a frenzy unlike that of a feral cat trapped in a cage.  

So these school holidays I have had to endure being stuck at home, for the most part.  We have still been swimming, albeit with more kids and much more stress.  And we decided to head up the East coast of Tassie for a few days after Easter.  It was a very last minute decision, making finding accommodation for 6 pretty difficult, and more so due to fact that we have 2 dogs to take along.  We would normally book them into Club K9, yes... that is what it is called.  And they would normally love this little doggie holiday.  But because it was Easter and this was a last minute decision, there was no way we would be able to book them in.  


 Not sure of what is to come, vet, puppy school, or something worse?



So off we went, 2 adults, 4 boys, 2 dogs, a surf board on the roof and a fully packed Cruiser.  No problem really, it is after all only a 1.5 hour trip!   Or so we thought.

Who knew. 

Who knew that dogs get car sick?  

I didn't.

But I have since been educated.

We had our first stop just 40mins after setting out, well come on, I was 37 weeks pregnant!   Seeing as check in at the holiday house wasn't until 2pm we were in no hurry anyway.  We stopped at a little beach so the kids and dogs could get out to play.  



 Beach stop at Orford.






All was fine and dandy, the weather was mild, everyone was in good spirits, and Mummy had a toilet on hand.  We set off again, blissfully unaware of the chaos that would soon unfold.

Having a coffee at the last stop was unfortunately not a fantastic idea.  Almost immediately I was bladderly uncomfortable again, but I know I can wait awhile yet. 

Further unfortunately the roads along the East coast are not straight, not by any stretch of the imagination.  After 30 minutes Legoman informs us that Ziggy, the delightfully playful Border Collie puppy, has vomited in the back of the car.   Furthermore, Ziggy, the delightfully playful Border Collie puppy, who lives and dies for chow time, was NOT going to let good food go to waste and was therefore eating his own vomit.

The car smelled like vomit, and Legoman now also felt like vomiting.  And I desperately at this stage needed a toilet. 

But with just 13 kms until destination and 1 km before a toilet (as it turned out), we had to pull over.

 Elsie, too civilised to eat her brother's vomit, and extremely happy to be removed from the scene.



Dog's were tied to a nearby farm fence, which happened to be the site of an old cemetery, while the clean up was undertaken.  Legoman was out faster then I could blink, and then refused to sit in the back with the dogs again.  We had to shuffle kids and a carseat, luckily with a happy outcome for all involved, though Ziggy probably wasn't feeling so crash hot.

Setting off again (and only slightly tempted to leave them at the cemetery!), this time only for a minute, stopping at the delicious berry ice cream shop that had been just around the next bend.   But much to my dismay, no toilet sign in sight.  Thankfully I do look very pregnant, and actually about to pop, so the very kind lady let me use their personal toilet.

Coder and I had ice cream, Pichu wasted his so the dogs got it.  Not the best idea really, considering what had just happened, but luckily it didn't come back to haunt me. 


 Pichu makes a pretty good photographer for a 3 yr old!


Eventually we arrived at Bicheno, stomach and bladder contents intact.  Our first stop was the closest fish and chippery, followed by a shaded spot under some trees near the Bicheno Blow Hole.


Disco moves by the blow hole.


 Do you know what is harder then setting the timer on the camera as it balances on a rock and hopping across uneven rock formations?  Doing it at 37 weeks pregnant! 



Legoman saw a Dolphin at this spot the next day.



We spent the next 2 days at beaches, rocks/blowhole, a glass bottom boat and hanging out with friends who were also in the area for the week. 


Stingray



Yes they are getting too close.  Considering Legoman had fallen in this spot just the day before, and also just a few days before, the blow hole made the paper for having a massive tide and washing people over.

Just seconds after I took this photo, Oshawott (in blue) walked up to the left of Pichu, where it is extremely slippery.  He naturally slipped, and kept slipping.  Coder dropped down and slid after him all the while trying to still hold onto Pichu.

It was a bit of a heart stopping moment.  We learned afterwards that a father and son had been washed away and drowned last year from this spot.




Pichu is sulking because Mummy told him not to climb to the top of the rock by himself. 


So good cop comes and whispers something.



 Look at the smirk I get.



 Victory! Thanks Dad...




 On the way to Diamond Island.  You can only gain access via foot, and at low tide.


 Tide was already slowly coming back in on the way across.

Lots of rock pools to explore.







 Sparkler fun.






The trip home was uneventful, Legoman and Voltorb decided to still be in swapped seats.  The weather was not as pleasant at Orford this time, so it was only a quick toilet stop and stretch for the dogs.


The water was a beautiful colour but the rain was coming and the wind was howling.







Today I link up with Essentially Jess for IBOT (I blog on Tuesdays).

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