Day 14

First an update from yesterday - - it was terribly hot – 41 degrees during the day, we had the air conditioner in the caravan running but it really was not by an means effective in that kind of heat. Spent the morning trying to hide from the heat in was is considered by Adelaidian standards to be a major shopping centre – we walked through it in less than five minutes – it does however make one wonder what would an Adelaidian do if they were dropped in the middle of a major Melbourne shopping centre - say perhaps Knox, Eastland or to really dazzle them Chadstone. Think you would need to give them a map and a week of supplies.
After the usual lunch and nap run we took our tomato faced children to the pool where they frolicked about for an hour or so and returned to their normal colour.
As it was New Year’s Eve we decided to let the kids stay up later so giving them so late arvo snacks we headed off to the top of Mt Lofty giving views across Adelaide. Aside from a couple of people who had set themselves up there early to secure a vantage point for the evening’s fireworks we were the only ones there. We were able to make out most of the major landmarks through the haziness. The real delight however, was a koala that had come up to the edge of the visitors centre seeking some shade. He wandered around, climbed the stairs and peered through the doors of the visitors centre – we were sure if the centre had been open he would have just wandered through the doors.
Home again for dinner and fortunately, a cool change blew through in the early evening providing much welcome relief to everyone. Zac did a sensational job of cooking meatballs for dinner outside with some help from Dad while Ethan and Gem played happily in the dirt with trucks.
Sponge baths and pj’ed we gave the kids their glow sticks and walked around the caravan park wishing all we saw a Happy New Year. Three tired but happy kids off to bed.


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!

T’was a quiet night around the van park when midnight struck……we could hear the fireworks from Genelg and watched the Sydney fireworks on the TV.

Today we headed off to Port Adelaide – had a bit of a look around at some wonderful old buildings and street lamps. Darrin and Zac climbed the old Port Adelaide lighthouse for the costly sum of $1.50!!!

When we checked into the park Darrin found a brochure for the National Railway Museum. Having a couple of train loving little boys we thought that it sounded like fun – little did we know what we were letting ourselves in for. It was an incredible place……trains so big that we were smaller that the wheels, loco’s that weighed in at over 279 tonnes, trains that were still dripping oil from hinges and valves years after they were last used, carriages that were still decked out in their original furnishings from the early 1900’s up to locos that were decommissioned in the late 70’s. The kids were allowed to climb on, pretend to drive, touch and sit on all this locomotive history. Naturally there was a small diesel train with a couple of carriages that took you on a ride around the complex. There were some interactive displays from the “Tea and Sugar” train which used to run over the Nullarbor delivering supplies on a weekly to the railroad workmen and people who lived along the line. It was quite a mini town on wheels – there was a bank, butchers, fresh produce and a general grocery carriage where you could buy all manner of items from lollies, washing powder, porridge, toothpaste, biscuits and frozen pies. I can not help but wonder what a welcome sight this train must have been each week to these remote people. A model train display and countless piles of train memorabilia stashed in all sorts of places. All of this was housed in the old Port Adelaide train station. So all five of us had a wonderful time exploring this fantastic display - we had not idea it would be so big and so time consuming – we arrived about eleven and the kids did not get lunch till 2pm – fortunately a few snacks kept them going.
After locating some lunch – nothing is open on New Years Day!! – we went for a drive so the kids could all have naps in the car – it did not take long till they were all snoring in the back!! We drove down the coast toward Glenelg – it was incredibly busy – and then finally back to the van.
Spent the remainder of the afternoon playing around the van – taking the kids for a bike ride up and down the park – Ethan is doing so well with his bike riding! Dinner, showers and an early night was needed for our tired little campers.

Wishing you all a safe, prosperous and wonderful 2010.