BACK FROM A WEEKEND AWAY

We had the weekend away.... we went to visit Steve's parents, who haven't been keeping too well.  We have been wanting to go for a few weekends, but with work and sickness, we just haven't managed it.  We didn't even think we would get there last weekend, as Steve was pretty sick last week, but he felt a lot better on Friday so we went.  Tonight, we is not so good again.  We are all over this winter flu season...

Anyway it was good to catch up with Steve's Mum and Dad.  It was a pretty quiet weekend.  Chloe and her friend Daina decided to join us, but they drove down on the Saturday as they couldn't get away Friday night due to Youth Group commitments that Chloe had.

Saturday, we did a little shopping, and took Steve's Mum to her first ever 3D movie - Step Up 4.  She loved it, as did we all.  Always love a dance movie, and the girls bought her these.

She loves getting spoilt

Sunday saw us girls go to the beach.  It was perfect weather, couldn't have asked for better.  
The last time we were down in March, we saw the Barrel on the way to the coast so yesterday we decided to check it all out.

Checking out the Barrel

 This is where the famous Bundaberg Ginger Beer and Sarsaparilla are made.    We stopped long enough to have a good look around, take a few photos and then we head down to Bargara. 

 

 This beach holds lots of special memories for me.  As kids we used to camp here  at Neilson Park most Christmas's.  Dad would take a caravan down from work, and we would camp there for six whole weeks.  He would drive into work each day, and we would spend our days exploring, swimming, playing on the rocks, so it is always nice to go back and check it out.  It has changed so much.

Views from the Esplanade.

 Now they have lovely eateries there, and the just as you drive into Bargara they have a beautiful children's play area, and picnic grounds, and it was teaming with people yesterday.  So good to see everyone out enjoying the beautiful weather.

Large Turtle Playgro

 Some people never grow up,  the girls had fun crawling though the turtle (and taking lots of photos I might add)  Mind you they weren't the only oldies enjoying the equipment.  

Magnificent play area - and well used. 

Some major developments have taken place down here since I lived here. 

We decided to go find a little coffee shop and have a coffee, but there were quite a few people enjoying fish and chips in the park, so we decided that we would do lunch instead and would do it in the sun on the beach front. 

Our very unhealthy lunch

I am afraid we didn't have a very healthy lunch, but it was nice to sit and eat it in the sun.  All I can saw, was that the seagulls were well fed, as they girls fed them half of our chips.  Now you might wonder what the "Byron Bay Coffee" sign is doing in my photo share, but I had to include this, as my other daughter spent the weekend in Byron Bay with her sister in law and her two cousins -  just wanted to show her that we had a little bit of Byron with us as well. 

After lunch we decided to drive around to what is know as the "Basin"  this is an area of beach near the golf club that has a natural swimming pool for young children .  It is a beautiful area of beach with lovely sad beaches to play on also. 

This is quite a special area for me, as it was the first place that Steve and I lived together after we got married.  The above units are now built on the land that housed the flat we lived it.  We only had 4-5 weeks here before we moved to Rocky, but it was so nice to walk off our back yard onto the beach.  Pity we couldn't live here a lot longer. 

By this time, we were thinking we should head home, as we wanted to leave Bundy and be back home before it got dark.  We had a quick stop off at Kelly's beach.  I spent a lot of my younger years on this beach.  Growing up I spent most weekends at the beach.  It was only a 10 minute drive from town.  

It's been ages since we have explored my own stomping grounds.  I'm seriously thinking that even though we have family there, that it might be a good idea to tow the caravan down there and spend a week or so camping there and going for a nostalgic trip down memories lane.  Worth looking into. 

We finally got away just after 2.30pm.  Unfortunately, it took us almost four hours to get home, and that was even after taking the back road to Mirriam Vale.  I can't begin to imagine how much longer it would have taken if we had come the whole way home along the Bruce Highway.  There are still massive roadworks happening - it all seems really slow.  

It did however give us time to appreciate this. 

Magnificent Sunset. 

We arrived home just after dark - in plenty of time to unpack and get organised for the week ahead.  It was nice to have the weekend away.  Always enjoy the drive and the chance it gives both Steve and I to have a good chat.  

We really need to do this more often...