Road Trip!

Sensing that a change of scene was sorely needed after a long school term, I bravely went where no sane mother has gone before and embarked on a road trip with the kids........ by myself. Dave was booked solid with patients, but I decided to go anyway - the kids really needed a fresh perspective. And so it came to be that the bongo bus, filled with six rambunctious (but grateful) children and one slightly unhinged mother set off on a road trip into country NSW to visit my eldest brother and his family.

We were hard core travellers - no portable DVD players (we don't own one), no CD's (the bongo bus only has a tape player), only one iPod to share and determined to stop at McDonald's only if absolutely necessary. Funny how "absolutely necessary" McCafe becomes after 3 and a half hours in the car.

We were so proud of ourselves! The kids rose to the occasion, each one "buddying up" with another and making sure that Mr H-2 didn't wander off and that Mr A-9mths had a full bottle at all times. We rocked!

This is the divine entrance to my brother's house. While we didn't stay with them (no room), we did spend great times together and lots of laughs with all our kids.

One of their beautiful roses, they have masses of these all over their formal gardens (they're on 40 acres). This is a miracle in itself as they live in a very tough environment for growing anything.

On the road outside their property, being stopped by a flock of sheep. We were such city slickers, the kids eyes were popping out of their heads. Saying things like "Can you believe they are actual sheep? Like you see on TV". My niece and nephew did a lot of eye-rolling at our expense!

Berry picking, raspberries and strawberries. Juice was running down their little chins and their hands were all stained bright red. It was perfect!

Mr Cool.

This park is the BEST park in the world. No exaggeration. Forget Disneyland. This was better. Acres of play equipment and the kids had it all to themselves for hours.

I definitely think this hamster wheel needs to be installed in our backyard.

Our last stop on the way home was in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. We went on the Scenic Railway which takes you from the top of the cliffs down to the forest floor via an open carriage railway on a 52 degree descent. I was so terrified I nearly vomitted and I think I wet my pants a little bit. Just for fun to get back up the top again you take a cable car with a 150 metre drop below you. Mr J thought it was enormous fun to voice all sorts of disaster scenarios during this white knuckle ride.

Any last drop of bravado I had was wrung from me during this outing. The kids loved it though. "Can we do that again! Please, please!". Sorry guys, you're going to need Daddy for that. No photos, my camera was flat and to be honest, even if it was working my hands were shaking so much it wouldn't have worked anyway.

Six children, five hundred kilometres, four toilet stops a day, three days, two nights and one tired, but strangely still sane mama.

Grateful. For lots of things.