Just When You Get Into Some Sort of Comfortable Routine….
….it’s time to pack up and go home!!!!
When we first arrived here, I was feeling tired and wrung out and questioning how much I’m going to enjoy our “big trip”. I guess I hadn’t really considered how busy we were before we came away and how much that had drained me.
Now, 3 days later, I’m just getting into the swing of things and now we’re packing up to go home.
I feel much better than when we arrived, even though we’ve been reasonably busy since we got here.
Instead of heading home, I think I’m ready to head off on the trip now. :) Mind you, as I type this, the kids are sitting in the backseat fighting. *sigh* I’m tempted to leave them home!!!! ;) I’m just bribing them with lollies to see if that’ll keep them quiet while I’m trying to type. LOL. Nope, not working. Now they’re fighting over the lollies. Aaarrrggghhh……
Anyway, the good news is that at the start of this “final practice run” I was doubting whether we should be even doing the trip, now I’m feeling much better about it. Better that than the other way around!!!!
Each time we use the caravan, we add a few bits and pieces that make life a little easier. The hardest thing is that we don’t want to take too much gear away with us so we still have a few decisions to make in regards to what is coming with us and what we’re leaving behind.
The extra incentive is that I’d like to be able to do some shopping while we’re away (especially on the Gold Coast where you’re supposedly able to get discounted surf brand clothing …. would love some hints in this department if anyone knows where to go) so I have to leave some room for that. 
All in all though, I think we’re close to ready. This trip has definitely been worthwhile (plus of course the fact that Lleyton has had some awesome tennis coaching – the actual purpose of this trip).
Just over 2 months left now until we leave. It sure is coming up fast!!!!
Now to get the seed in the ground and the house a bit more sorted out before we go….
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Sounds like everything is coming together for you. Do your kids have games for in the car? We bought our girls Nintendo DSs for our big trip last year and they were well worth EVERY penny. It kept them quiet, and more importantly, happy for hours on end.
Harbourtown (http://www.harbourtownshopping.com.au/) is the big outlet mall on the Gold Coast. I love it there but admit we didn’t go into any of the surf shops. I’m guessing you could maybe ship some things home (or to family) if you needed to.
Libby (who is going to be so JEALOUS hearing about your trip)
Harbour Town is where we shop when visiting my parents on the Gold Coast. Handily we usually stay at the Big4 caravan park which is just across the road and is a really nice park to visit.
When I was pregnant with Annie a friend shared with me his secret to long car trips with children. He would take a big bag of lollies and if the children behaved then they got to eat whatever lollies were in the bag at the end of the day. BUT each incident of misbehaviour resulted in one lolly being unwrapped and the lolly being thrown out the window. Apparently the unwrapping of the lolly was the best bit according to this dad. I can see how it would work as the children would have incentive to be good so they get all the lollies but I worry about the littering aspect of it also. Unwrapping the lolly means the litter stays in the car and the food will degrade fairly easily BUT knowing my girls they’d just learn it was okay to throw stuff out the car window.
There is a Billabong & Kuta Lines second shops. They aren’t far from HarbourTown from memory - it is a little shopping centre with a heap of shops there. When we were there a few years ago we actually found the surf shops in Cavill Avenue in Surfers had better specials as everything was on sale - it was June though. We found nothing in Harbourtown worth buying at the time & the surf seconds shop only had a few things in the sizes we needed and they weren’t that nice.
I am feeling excited for you so shouldnt you be.. but then again you are the one having to pack up etc…. but i know that once you are on the road you will be so busy seeing soo much that our Australia has to offer that you wont even think about it!
Keep plodding……keep focussed and remember how blessed you are to be even able to go on such a holiday…..
Lynette
Wow your trip is coming up quickly. Think it is fantastic how you have been doing practice trips.
Have no idea where the places to shop on the gold coast are, but you can always post things home to yourself! (or a family member to keep safe for you until your return)
Are you planning on shopping at every place you visit? Package up your purchases and post them home. They’ll be there waiting for you and opening the parcels will be a mini christmas. Think of the chatter as you unwrap each item and discuss where you bought it, what you remember about that place. Plus you won’t have to make room for things in the caravan.
Libby - the older 2 have DS’s and the youngest has a Leapster (although would REALLY like a DS!) so they’ll be handy in the car. I’m thinking of getting them each an educational type game for the trip (already have a Batman maths one for the Leapster in the cupboard).
Marita - LOL. I’ve heard that one before but had forgotten. Wonder if it would work the same if I ate them?
Kelli - thanks for that. Will keep an open mind. Sometimes that can happen with actual clearance shops - they’re not always as cheap as you think.
Lynette - I am definitely excited but trying to be realistic. Only a few years ago I couldn’t even be in the same room as the kids. I simply couldn’t cope. So I have to try and be realistic about what I can and cannot cope with. None of this was in the original plan but we have to work with what we have and sadly, I just don’t cope as well as I used to.
I’m getting better all the time but the worst thing we can do is overestimate my coping abilities and everyone ends up miserable. Plus of course, there’s a fear that crops up because of what I’ve been through. Our kids are the kind that LOVE to be around us - which is lovely, just draining at times.
Planning Queen - it sure is! Part of me can’t wait and another part is happy for it to come slowly so that while we’re on it it goes slowly too.
Mistress B - good point. Could get expensive though I guess.
River - no, I don’t think we’ll do too much shopping in the first 2/3rds of the trip - other than a few souvenirs I guess. I love that idea though. Will bear that in mind. Could be fun.