So I’m home, back to reality with lots of things I need to do, school going back tomorrow and I’m still not sure if it’s summer or winter uniform plus I have soooooo many things I want to share about the fabulous trip. The first (and only) family holiday we’ve done to QLD was last year and it involved the multivan, 7 of us, plenty of pitstops, a crying 3 month old emerson, happy meals from you know where and lots of sunshine once we got there. When I heard that Emerson and I would be going to the Whitsundays courtesy of Tourism Queensland and Tourism Whitsundays. I almost had a heart attack. I’d never been and I couldn’t believe that I’d be lucky enough to go.
The schedule for the trip was tight and there were some highlights and some low points. Check in at Jetstar Sydney airport was a bit of a low point. The conversation went something like this
Check in lady: is there anything you need from your bag?
me (holding a 10kg baby almost as big as me, an overflowing nappy bag and a pram): no
Check in lady: Are you sure?
Me: No, I have no spare hands
Check in lady: Ok well you see your case is 5kgs over and you will have to pay $15 a kilo excess.
The man next to us was arguing with the check in lady but I’m just a go with the flow, this is a budget airline and I’ve watched a few reality airport shows in my time to know that there is no point arguing with the staff.
Me: That’s fine, we’ll pay it. My case is full of nappies, formula, baby food and lots of baby supplies.
Check in lady: Are you sure you don’t want to take your make up bag out?
Me: Yes I’m sure. I have no spare hands and my make up bag isn’t heavy.
So we paid the $75 excess luggage charge (if you fly jetstar and your bag is over 20kgs apparently you can buy excess beforehand online! who knew?), dropped off the pram at oversized luggage and I was off through security. Thank you Jetstar check in lady at the other end who waived the excess luggage fee and told me not to worry when I prewarned her I might be up for some excess luggage charges again.
A high point was watching sunrise every morning wherever we were staying! Thank you emerson for waking me between 5.30 and 6am every morning with your little sing song voice. In Airlie beach the cockatoos joined me on the balcony. And what a treat to make toast for 1 little person instead of 5. So easy!
A low point was the guy at the front desk of Daydream Island telling me he didn’t know where the nearest nappy change table was after I told him I had a really smelly nappy to change. Front desk of a family resort but no idea. We had 3 hours at Daydream but thankfully the gift shop at Daydream Island was a treasure trove for the little ones….I dropped $90 on necessary touristy treats for little people that they wanted after they’d given me a hug. The old ‘mummy we missed you now what did you bring us’. Yep, that one.
A high point was having my first mojito at Fish D’Vine/Rum Bar in Airlie Beach and their delicious signature crab dish. Kev who runs the show is a real true blue aussie character and even walked us out and closed the door of the taxi/minivan when we left early with the babies of the group. Definitely need to go back there.
A low point was when during one of the conference sessions they brought out the broken glass to walk over and overcome your fears. Suddenly I didn’t like the presenters at all and was wishing they’d leave.
A high point was after walking over the broken glass (yes, I did it) and realising that sometimes you have to face your fear, get your mind in the right place and just do it. It sounds absolutely ridiculous to me now that I’m home but I swear that glass was soft like carpet as I walked over it. I know. I have no idea what happened but something happened. It needs its own blog post. Oh and I was wearing my boom shankar skirt. Love that skirt.
And another high point was stripping down to our swimmers and getting in the water with all the other gorgeous ladies at Whitehaven. I can’t even remember the last time I sat down at the waters edge in swimmers with nothing covering me up. It’s probably before children. But everyone was having a ball and I just felt so comfortable to be in my swimmers and realised I have nothing to worry about. This is coming from someone who didn’t want to buy new swimmers.
Oh and the igloo martini sorbet at Hayman was a real stunner! They dim the lights and waiters bring out these glass domes with a tealight candle and a delicious scoop of refreshing sorbet. Of course no one ate anything until every person in the room had photographed or instagrammed that baby.
But it’s back to reality here………
p.s we were under absolutely no obligation to blog, tweet, instagram, or share this trip. It was left up to us. But once a blogger always a blogger. I was blown away by the beauty up there and look forward to taking all the kids up there one day soon.
I know there is so much more in this post to comment on, but I LOVE that skirt and those cockatoos are fearless. My friend and I once left our balcony door open on Hamilton while we were at a 3 hour workshop and when we came back all her jewellery had been strewn across the room, some missing altogether and a lot with chew marks in them. Bet it’s nice to be back with all your little ones and Retrodaddy!
Now that I’ve been I totally believe you! at breakfast they would come in at hayman island and be shooed away and there is a sign in your room to close the door when you leave otherwise the birds come in! never would have believed it beforehand.
I have well and truly got my money out of the skirt. they are made in india by tailors of strips of fabric and it is a real stunner. Love it and need more colours! just a simple big w singlet on the top:)
What a fabulous trip. Hopefully one day soon my blogging will be rewarded with something as special and I can meet all you wonderful bloggers in person.
Love hearing about it all and well done on walking over the glass. Vicki x
Oh how beautiful!! I really miss Aussie beaches!!
Corrie, that is a lovely post. Thanks for always sharing the lows as well as the highs –
what precious time with Emerson too. The pics are gorgeous.
What a wonderful break for you and Emerson. Even with the lows is looks like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing.
Wow….well I’m totally amazed you did the Whitsunday’s on your own with Emerson!!! I know compared to lugging 5 kids on holidays it must have been a breeze but seriously….taking a baby with me on a working holiday I just couldn’t do….nup and no!
Hope you guys get to do it some time as a family minus the people mover….flights all the way! Wish I had the crab and the sorbet….we didnt love Daydream but it was before the cyclones and was really in need of a Reno as it was very tired so hopefully they have done it up since then. We loved Hamilton Island…probably the golf buggies most of all
oh don’t worry I didn’t love daydream as much as hayman!!!!! the kids would have loved it! I think hamilton and hayman would be my kind of holiday place:) And yes it was a challenge taking emerson but he went in the ergo everywhere. If I needed the loo or anything there were loads of helpers and other mummies there! it was fun to have him with me most of the time but I did perfect the art of quickly straightening my hair, doing makeup and ducking out the door to dinner!!!!!!!!!
I saw Nikki’s photo of the glass walking and now looking at yours I really just don’t know how I’d go with that challenge. I’d probably cry for awhile and be the last sulky one to do it!
It looks like paradise where you were, lucky Sydney is putting on an Indian Summer for your return.
Lucky you! Looks like a lovely few days away from the everyday. That crab looks delicious. We enjoyed a week at Hammo last year with three kids under four (loved the beach and golf buggies).
Don’t get me started on Jetstar, though. One child vomited as we arrived back in Melbourne and in the ensuing chaos I left my bag with DSLR, compact digital camera, purse etc on the plane. I realized once I stepped off the plane and freaked out. In summary, the Jetstar staff were unhelpful, (allegedly) went back to check (twice, at my insistence), and essentially suggested that another passenger must have stolen it. I ended up dragging the family around to lost property, reporting it to police. I got a phone call from baggage services in Perth a couple of days later. My bag had been handed in there (after being found under the seat in front, where I said it was). I had to pay to have it couriered back. It makes me angry thinking about it again. I will avoid flying Jetstar where possible.
oh that’s terrible!!!!!!! what a nightmare! On board going up they were fab and put on my seatbelt and moved me to some seats with more space but oh that was a bad start with the luggage!
Corrie I appreciated your unbiased comments. It’s nice to hear the great things, but so good to be prepared for the not so great too! You look fantastic by the way!!
Great wrap up post. You were so fearless walking across the glass which you can really see in this photo! I miss the Whitsundays!
ooooooo I haven’t been to the whitsundays for yar’s and yar’s !!! I had a boyfriend once whose parents owned the mediteranean house and the white house, we had a ball up there , I think that boyfriend is still around married twice over. I would love to take my kids up there. My hubby grew up on a yacht and frequently visited hayman island as a youngster – now 40 – that was back in the good old days when I think he swam for free in the resort pool ! Queensland weather is fantastic at the moment too, might have to get hubby to take a holiday back down memory lane x
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