Thursday, 09 July 2009

• Melbourne

  Right - I now have the photos all sorted so am editing this entry.
  
  We went to Jesika's Growth Group for a shared dinner the first night.
  We met lots of her friends.
  It was a great night.
  The children were all very tired though.
  We had the 4am NZ start and then by the time we left Robyn & Ari's place it was after 10pm Aust time - which was midnight NZ time. Azzan fell asleep on my knee and the girls were pretty close in following him.
  
  I managed to find our way back to the cabin alright. We all hit the pillows gladly.
  
  The four were all in a small bunkroom and when I woke the three youngest were all very quietly reading and drawing and Nathan was trying to stay asleep!
  
  Next morning the children began their travel journals just before Jesika arrived.
  She drove us to Knox City Mall to do some shopping. We introduced everyone to Boost juices. Heavenly. Shanni has been hanging out for one since last year. We queued for ages to get a sum card for our phone. We now have an Australian cell phone number which is very handy.
  
  We then went to visit Marion & Bill Stolk. Marion took Shanni & Hali with her and her girls to a cheese making demo with some other home schoolers.
  
  Tim stayed to talk with Bill and Azzan played with the boys and Aggie. Jesika, Nathan & I went off to Forrest Hill Chase to do some grocery shopping. We stocked up for a few days and the around 4pm picked up the rest of the crew and headed back tot he holiday park. It had been raining which upset Jesika - she doesn't like her bike getting wet - she had left it parked outside our cabin for the day.
  
  
  The children did more journaling while we cooked dinner. We had Jesika's salad and foccacia bread - very yummy. We were all in bed soon after 8pm.
  
  It rained in heavy patches throughout the night. But when we woke and packed up it was easing.
  We left Wantirna before 8am and had a good run skirting around the city. Jesika had mapped the route out for me the night before so it was a breeze. We arrived at Bullerook soon after 10am and spent a lovely couple of hours with Tim's cousin Sue, who he hadn't seen for over 40 years.
  
  
  
  We enjoyed morning tea with her and Bill and their wee dog Jack.
  
  
  A couple of their fallow deer were rather fascinated by Azzan and followed him around the house.
  
  The children were not terribly fussed by the long 'boring' trip.
  Little did they know what was in store in the following days!!
  
  We arrived in Ballarat soon after midday and signed in at the Sovereign Hill Lodge. We stayed two nights in the Military Barracks. Very cosy bunk rooms. We had 8 bunks in the room all to ourselves.
  
  We went straight down to the Sovereign Hill historical living village and spent the afternoon exploring.
  It was 'snowing' in the main street.
  
  
  We went to a pantomime which ALL the kids loved.
  
  
  
  I was pleased to watch Nathan's reaction - he is not too big to enjoy a crazy play - in fact he enjoyed it so much he wanted to go again.
  
  
  I then took Mahalia & Azzan for a ride on the horse and wagon. They kids got to sit up by the driver.
  
  
  
  
  
  That made Hali's day. 
  
  We watched a demo of the new explosive of the day using a voltaic battery - it was rather amusing!
  
  
  
  
  Tim, Shanni & Nate went to see the gold pouring.
  Shanni found some peacocks.
  
  Shanni & I explored further and then left Tim to talk to the wheel makers while we went up to get dinner ready.
  
  We made stir fry veges & beef with mashed kumara. Very tasty.
  We are learning how to cook nourishing meals with very little in the way of utensils and pots.
  
  The children spread out in the dining room and did their journals while we cooked.
  
   
  
  After Tim and the kids went to bed I watched TV in the lounge. The accommodation there was great. Lovely and warm which was good as it was quite cold, bleak and damp outdoors.
  
  Sat morning Tim cooked up porridge for us all  then with warm full tummies we donned our jackets and headed down the hill again. This time we walked through the chillers and saw the ice carvings. They were amazing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Then the children went ice sliding. Tim & I had a go too. It was fun.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  From there the children did a bit of gold panning.
  
  
  
  
   
  
  We went for a tour through the Red Hill Mine.
  
  This is a replica of the Welcome Nugget.
  
  Then to the Victorian Theatre. This time to watch an authentic play from the 1850's. 
  
  
  
  
  Before Tim then took Nate, Hali & Azzan for a Gold Mine Tour we climbed a big wooden tower above the mine.
  Shanni & I had already done this last year so we opted to go wandering. Shanni had a go at 9-pin bowling - loved it. Then we all met up at the school.
  
  
  
  Funnily enough the 3 youngest loved this part of the day - practising writing with pen and nib and ink. I bought them some to use at home as they so enjoyed it.
  
  We went 9-pin bowling again. Azzan loved setting up the skittles for everyone.
  
  
  
  We went to the candle making demo and did some candle dipping. That is always a fun thing to do.
  
  
  
  
  Then we went to Ragged School and the children took part in a story telling time about when the early folks came out from England to Australia. Azzan was right into it and was asking and answering all the questions!!
  
  While we were at school Tim went off to the Gold Museum. I knew he would enjoy it over there and he really did. He came back full of info he had learned.
  I took the kids back up at 4:30pm to get dinner started as they were quite weary by this stage.
  I made stir fry veges in a pasta sauce with spirals for dinner. We are eating very simply but very nourishingly.
  We had splashed out and eaten lunch from the Sovereign Hill bakery twice - that was rather expensive to fill all 6 of us so won't be doing that too often.
  
  We then got all our warm clothes on and headed off back down to the village at 6:45pm, in time for the Blood on the Southern Cross Sound & Light show. It was really good and we all enjoyed it. It was retelling the story of the Eureka Stockade battle using sound and light - but no actors. It is very effective and moving. Azzan said to me he cried cuz it was so sad. He was very upset about the death of Scobie - one of the miners - which was a trigger of the whole rebellion.
  
  Even though it was a cool damp night we kept warm and didn't get rained on at all.
  Walked back up to the barracks at 8:30pm and Tim popped the children into bed. Nate & I stayed up till 10ish reading our books over hot chocolate.
  
  Sunday morning we were up early. We enjoyed a very filling breakfast of fried sausages, eggs, onions on toast. Then we packed up the car and drove down to the main entrance. Even though we had vacated our rooms we were still able to access the village for a final visit.  Tim took Hali & Azzan to see the Chinese mining camp. A lady made them some origami birds and flowers. I took Nate & Shanni shopping at Soho Foundry. Nate bought a miners lamp and Shanni bought a whistle. Then we went and had our photos taken in old fashioned clothes. The kids loved that.
  
  
  
  Tim took the girls ice sledding and watched the ice carving. It is done with chainsaws and electric drills etc. Very talented men.
  
  The boys and I went to the hotel for a drink.
  Then we discovered the saddlery. I bought a few things there. Azzan had an entertaining time chatting the guy behind the counter while he stamped leather book marks for him and the girls. Nathan got a leather hat. That took a bit of deciding while he tried on a few to get the best look!
  We picked up the photo and then I went to the gift shop while the kids did some last minute ice sliding.
  Found some great books for school projects.
  
  We got pies from the bakery and finally headed away from Ballarat around 1pm.
  
  
  
  
  I am now out of internet time so will leave it here and will update in a few days time when I can. We are steadily moving northwards at the moment.........
  
  
  
  

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