Bush Christmas

We rolled into Chapman Pool (the gorgeous camp spot on a river in the Blackwood NP) full of excitement and a large dose of anxiety hopeful that there would be a spot for us. Deciding to come and secure a camp area 10 days before Christmas definitely paid of as the 9 available sites were all vacant and we got the pick of the spots, a large secluded area with our own access to the river. 

We had a few blissfully quiet days before the crowds starting arriving once school holidays started, though as there are only 9 sites it really can't get that crowded. We spent the time before Christmas alternating between enjoying the river swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding and venturing into nearby Margaret River. We battled the crowds in the shops, battled with the post office ladies who seemed very nonplused that an overnight express package had still not arrived nearly a week later, and, on Christmas Eve when we went in to collect our ham (that the lovely butcher in Woolies was minding for me as we didn't have fridge space), we battled with the frantic, crazy drivers fighting for the scarce parking spaces! 

However our Christmas preparations were not all frantic, we spent a funny afternoon scouring the local forests in search of a Xmas tree. They were all quite sparse but finally we found a sufficiently bushy one, though unfortunately it was just on the side of the road. Whilst Daniel was cutting it down, the road that had previously only seen a few cars on suddenly turned busy and I kept taking the kids to hide in the bushes as inquisitive cars sped past. Daniel managed to cut it down and get it on the roof rack and I cut a little tree down for the kids to have their own Xmas tree in their cubby. We had a lovely time decorating it after Daniel had 'planted' it in our camp. 

Daniel and the kids also spray painted about 20 pine cones we'd collected then doused them in glitter. These also adorned our camp and once we had put up the solar Xmas lights our camp site looked very festive. 

We made and decorated star shaped biscuits for Santa and also left out a carrot for the reindeer and sparkly reindeer food to guide them to our campsite. In the morning the carrot was completely gone and we hope the reindeer got it before the possums did! 

Both kids awoke full of excitement at about 6.30am and were ecstatic to see Santa had filled their Christmas sacks and left a present under their little cubby house Xmas tree. We opened the presents from Santa with Jackson jumping around in between opening saying 'I am so excited, I am so excited'. Emilia was pleased Santa had listened to all her requests and, on opening one of her presents, said 'I just knew Santa would bring me a red monster truck!' 

It was then on to our champagne breakfast of French toast and fruit before opening the presents from Daniel and I to the kids. Although we had agreed to no presents Daniel surprised me with a gorgeous straw hat and a new pair of Birkenstocks. We spent the morning playing with all the new toys, including Emilia's make up kit which she trialled on Jackson. After a swim the kids had a rest whilst Daniel and I had a cheese platter with an amazing thyme and walnut baked Brie (and some more champagne). Nathan, Bec and the girls arrived and we had a swim and play with them in the afternoon whilst the glazed ham and bacon wrapped turkey cooked. I'd got a bit excited and bought a 5kg ham. Daniel had to shave a chunk off the bottom to fit it in the Webber. Our Christmas meats were supplemented with a few delicious salads. We shared desserts with our friends and had a feast of cheesecake, trifle, meringues, brownie and delicious summer fruits. 

By 8pm the excitement of the day, the 12hours of champagne, and the mounds of food we'd consumed had taken their toll and we rolled into bed content after our wonderful bush Christmas. 

Daniel convinced me we were actually doing a good thing as the pine tree was growing on the edge of a National Park (where they are not meant to be!).

Quickly loading our tree

Strike a pose

Decorating our pilfered tree.

'I just knew Santa would give me a red monster truck like I asked for!'

Round One of presents from their Santa Sacks

Just checking out how many presents there were!



Love the look of surprise

Champagne Breakfast

Round Two of presents under the tree

 

 

Emilia the make up artist, Jackson was very good as pursing his lips for the lipstick

Nice and clean after a swim

 

Baked Brie - our new fave for a cheese platter (like my improve table cloth - left over xmas wrap).

The turkey looked tiny compared to the 5kg ham!

Xmas feast (Jackson had already started on the ham so has a mouth full)

Popping crackers.

 

 

The HUGHES Cruises - Dolphins AND Christmas Lights.

We had met the lovely Hughes family (Nathan, Bec, Steph, Ashleigh and Nicole) in Coral Bay and Exmouth and were keen to take up their offer to stay with them at their house in Pinjarra. We'd visited a few weeks prior and had a wonderful afternoon so we're excited about our weekend there, and we were certainly not disappointed.

Although we set up our van out the front we actually made our bedroom for the weekend in their games room, much to the delight of the kids who had access to such a vast array of toys, including (the hands down favourite) a huge barbie house with all the accessories (campervan, motorbike, cars etc). Jackson actually complained one evening about how exhausted he was saying 'I've just been playing and playing and playing, I'm so tired'. The challenges of life as a 2 year old! 

Anyway we had an amazing, action packed weekend. On Friday night Bec hosted a pool party for Steph who'd had finished grade 6 that day. She had about 12 of her class mates around and they certainly made the most of the pool. On Saturday Daniel helped Nathan with some boat trailer maintenance whilst Jackson and I checked out a local cafe we'd been recommended. Emilia chose to stay with the girls and Bec did baking and cake decorated with them. After a huge play in the afternoon we loaded up Nathan and Bec's boat and headed for Mandurah. They took us cruising the marina then as it got darker we cruised through the canals looking at the amazing displays of Christmas lights put on by the clearly very wealthy people who lived here. It was so great with lots of ohhh and ahhh moments. It was clearly a very popular way to spend the evening as there were heaps of boats out. After a short drive home there were more Christmas lights to see on Nathan and Bec's street so by the end of the evening I had definitely indulged my inner child. 

On Sunday we decided to go on the boat again and they took us to up the Murray River (the WA Murray) to Coolenup Island, a small island with an historical flour mill built in 1843, a playground and walking tracks. The kids enjoyed playing on one of the large old trees whilst Nathan cooked up a lovely bbq lunch. After a walk to see the old mill we headed off for a tour of the estuary. It was a lovely afternoon lazing on the boat putting up the estuary when suddenly we spotted a mother dolphin and her calf frolicking in the water near us. The dolphins ended up staying beside or in front of us for at least 10 minutes, at some times swimming right under the boat. The calf put on a show for us, jumping out of the water and performing tricks. It was so incredible and such an amazing experience. Poor Jackson missed out on it all as he was asleep in the hull with Ashleigh! 

We were so pleased that we had got to experience the two touristy highlights of the area (Mandurah Canals Christmas Lights and Dolphin watching) without the tourists but with our lovely friends. The Hughes Cruises definitely get our recommendation! 

Reluctantly we left the incredible hospitality and generosity of our friends on Monday morning (it was a struggle to drag the kids away from their play with the girls) and we headed to the Blackwood River National Park. We were both so anxious hoping for a spot for Christmas and had no idea what to expect when we arrived. Would the grey nomads have already flocked in to the cheap camping and taken all the spots or would the lack of satellite coverage keep them away and mean the place would be empty until the school holidays began on the 17th????

Stay tuned for the next instalment..............

 

Ashleigh and Emilia ready for the Christmas Lights

Steph and Jackson with his way too big Santa hat that kept falling over his eyes.

The first OOOHHHH moment for Emilia

One of the many impressive Christmas Lights displays

Another impressive lights display

Cruising the estuary put 3 very tired kiddies to sleep in the hull of the boat

The dolphin calf doing a jump for us

Another impressive jump.

The mother and calf swimming right next to the boat

They stayed close for ages.

Showing off with a backflip!

Swimming right next to the boat.

Kookaburra Attack

I was the subject on a stealth stakeout and extreme attack on our first night at Lane Poole Reserve, a lovely park South East of Perth. We had a great camp spot and Nanga Brook, close to the river and amongst some trees. Little did we know the tree closest to our table was the preferred spot for a resident kookaburra to stake out his dinner. We were mid way through our meal of marinated chicken drumsticks and salad. I was leaning over my plate taking a forkful of salad (it was quinoa so you have to lean over or it goes everywhere), when from my periphery I glanced the first sign of the attack. The kookaburra came torpedoing in so close to my head that I flung myself backwards screaming and sending quinoa everywhere. I flapped my arms around trying to keep my head safe as I had no idea what type of bird it was or what it was doing. When I calmed myself poor Daniel was desperately trying to hold back a laugh as we surveyed my plate and realised the cheeky kookaburra had stolen a whole bit of chicken right off my plate! Daniel said it came in so quickly he didn't have time to warn me. We were impressed with its accuracy as it missed my wine glass which was right next to my plate. It was certainly a spectacle and I must give the kookaburra points for his boldness, courage and skill. 

The rest of the time at Lane Poole was not as eventful. We did some Xmas craft, swam, went walking and enjoyed the resident kangaroos who came right near our camp and actually ate some oats out of Emilia and Jackson's hands. Emilia is getting so used to wild animals she actually went to cuddle the kangaroo before Daniel stopped her! 

Kangaroos checking out our campsite

Scruffy bush hair.

Don't fall!!!

A refreshing face wash in the river.

The coldest Perth December in 50 years!

We booked a week in Perth to coincide with the annual Christmas pageant, a huge parade through the main street which I wanted to take the kids to. Unfortunately our visit to Perth also coincided with the coldest December days they'd had in 50 years complete with storms and a lot of rain. We could handle the horrible weather but were devastated when the Christmas parade was cancelled. It was the first time they'd cancelled it in the history of the event (42 years) so we managed to be a part of two Perth records.

We still had a great week in a Perth though as we were surrounded by some great friends and we stayed in a lovely park. The caravan park had several small lakes with a heap of ducks, swans and other water birds (many with babies). They were very bold and would come right into your camp hoping for some food. The kids spent the days playing with the friends they made at Sandy Cape and some new friends from the park. We did some Christmas shopping and car and van maintenance for the first few days. We also explored a few local beaches and enjoyed the 3 resort style pools at the caravan park. On the rainy day we were very grateful for the local Bunnings who kept the kids and Daniel entertained for a few hours (they had Xmas craft, face painting and the usual indoor playground so we were set).

Our friends from Adelaide, Martin, Kelly and Alexandra, whom we'd met and spent a lot of time with on the trip were visiting Perth to collect their puppy and were another reason we had chosen the first week of December to visit the capital. On Saturday we went around to their holiday apartment to see them and meet their gorgeous puppy, Louie. We spent a lovely afternoon catching up and we were all smitten with little Louie, Rascal may be getting a friend when we get back.

We spent the next few days with them, at Kings Park (where the kids ran amok in the great playgrounds), at our caravan park (on the jumping pillow and in the swimming pool) and then on Tuesday took ourselves and our van around to their lovely holiday apartment in Cottesloe where we got to stay inside an actual HOUSE on an actual BED! What a novel experience it was. We had a great day at a local park then on the foreshore of the Swan River watching Martin windsurf before the kids crashed and we sat up eating delicious Nepalese (and a lot of chocolate that Kelly and I got on a late night run to Woollies where Kelly had to sprint into the closing store and just grab whatever she could find. As she didn't know what we would like she came out with an armload of ice creams, chocolate and biscuits, it was a seriously lovely sugar overload). 

We also got to meet Santa at Perth's Christmas Place. Emilia was happy to talk to him but Jackson preferred to keep his distance. We did manage a few photos but he was pulling away ready to run to me! The kids got to make snow domes, decorate gingerbread biscuits, play in fake snow and meet some Christmas characters so it sort of made up for missing the parade.

The friendly duck, he then got a bit over friendly and tried to share our dinner every night.

Swan parents and their cygnets wandering through our camp.

Gotta love free facepainting at Bunnings

Too cool for facepainting he got a dragon instead.

The swans taking another morning walk.

Afternoon tea with Daniel's Aunt Gerda, Uncle Harry and his cousin Rob.

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Jackson wanted to hug the reindeer but his hand positioning was very unfortunate!

Taking advantage of the photo opportunities at Christmas Place.

 

Jackson ready to run from Santa!

Emilia was all up for letting Santa know her wishlist this year.

Jackson was very unsure but wanted to ring the bell so came closer.

Very intense colouring

A postcard to Santa requesting an Elsa doll.

Hard at work designing their biscuits

Mmmm food colouring and sugary biscuits

Very artistic

Extreme ropes course at Kings Park

Playing on the new skateboard with Alexandra.