Week 4

Ok ok so I've been a bit slack but it was school holidays and we were VERY busy. First of all 4 nights in the camper at Nambucca Heads. We loved Numbucca Heads, it was another smaller location like Mallacoota in a Big 4 park. One thing we've come to appreciate is that you can rely on the standard of a Big 4 park. The Canberra park was like an American 'trailer park' completed with tattooed residents. Big 4 parks have a playground, bouncy pillow and quite often a pool - like at Nambucca. Unfortunately the rain was still falling but we didn't let that stop us. The first day we drove inland to Dorrigo National Park for the tree top rain forest walk. That was lovely for me and Stewart but not so interesting to the kids who made it very difficult to do anything but the shortest walk. I still managed to pick up a new bird though :)

In return for enabling Stewart to go for 2 one hour bike rides I was able to take a walk through the forest that backed onto the caravan park. I picked up 3 more new birds but also a hitching leech. Salt is effective in removing leeches from knees but it is no longer the recommended method. It didn't hurt but kept bleeding for 2 hours. Let's just say I'll stick to the path from now on and the next chance I get will be purchasing  some gaiters.

For another day trip we took the kids to the butterfly house followed by fish and chips at Coffs Harbour for dinner. Isobel especially enjoyed the butterfly house but at $45 for the family I am not that sure it was worth it. She was particularly disappointed that no butterflies chose her to land on despite siting quite still with her hand out. The proprietor was very helpful and gave both kids few butterfly wings to take home. Goodness knows what condition they'll be in by the time we get home. I didn't think much of Coffs Harbour it was like a big Victor Harbour but it was night time and raining hard.

Again as it was in school holidays the kids were able to make friends with our park neighbors. Note if you make paper airplanes in the playground make sure you take enough paper for at least 6 others. The pool in Nambucca Heads was warmer than Canberra. We all enjoyed a quiet swim -  although I had to rescue Isobel a few times again. Hopefully she'll be swimming properly by the time we are home...