Playgrounds of Queensland - Photos

 Elliott chilling at home

          Alex at the Science Museum

        At the Modern Art Museum

            Alex at Nicky Noo's Playhouse

                      Elliott at the more traditional soft play

    Playgrounds of Queensland

 Elliott's first time in a swing

 Poorly Elliott                                           

   Sheep Placenta

The Playgrounds of Queensland

If you have been reading our blog so far, you would be forgiven for thinking our Australia experience has been full of exciting day trips and excursions to exotic places. It is easy to fill the blog with these experiences, but they do not represent the whole story. I wanted to write about our boring days, but that’s always a much harder task. The reality is that we have day trips and getaways whenever Irmeet is off work, but that leaves lots of time when Irmeet is at work.

Prior to having Elliott I was working full time and Alex was at nursery 5 days a week. When Alex was born, I had 7 months maternity leave and was ready to return to work. Maternity leave was hard enough in the UK with family support. It pales in comparison to doing it on your own with 2 little ones in a foreign country. However, I have absolutely no regrets about taking 12 months maternity leave. I am thoroughly enjoying spending every day with the kids and I constantly worry about returning to work. But there are also days that I want to get the first flight back home and return to work. In contrast there are also days that I feel like a “supermum” who should start home-schooling. Thankfully the majority of days fall somewhere in-between these two extremes.

  Elliott chilling at home

Preparing to leave the house wastes significant amounts of time. Firstly extracting Alex from ABC for Kids is a laborious process, usually involving some kind of bargaining “you can have Chuggington, Peppa, Ben and Holly, but the telly is coming off after Sesame Street”. Applying sunscreen to wriggly, reluctant children is another challenge. I also cannot stress the importance of leaving the house at the correct time in the Elliott feed-feed interval. Our departure is often delayed because of an impending feed. Resulting in a re-debate of the initial television deal, “OK you can have playschool, but the telly is definitely coming off after Mike the Knight”. Although both children wake around 6, we often don’t leave the house till around 11.

We spend a lot of time on public transport and I’m ashamed to say that I am not usually a public transport kind of girl. Brisbane has a brilliant ferry network. However, Alex doesn’t care for the beautiful scenery and tranquil ride. He complains bitterly whenever I want to get the ferry. He would much rather take the grotty, uncomfortable bus. Alex has also developed an embarrassing habit of trying to talk to bus drivers who obviously try their hardest not to talk to anyone. My personal favourite Alex question is “are you going to my house?”. Another highlight is Alex’s “faces” on the bus. This involves him raising his eyebrows and making a clicking noise. He started doing it with young female shop assistants. They find it funny and encourage him.  Old ladies on the bus usually don’t take it as well. I usually just sit there and wish that the ground would swallow me up.

I am ashamed by the amount of time we spend in Cafés, sometimes to escape the heat but usually just to pass the time. I navigate the city using my mind map of good coffee shops. We wander around the city shops and around the Southbank museum district. The museums are free but nowhere near as good as the museums back home. We also waste a lot of time in parent feeding rooms, thankfully they are generally good and have a telly on. However, this naturally leads to another hoo-haa about ABC for kids “Alex, we are not watching The Wiggles in a baby changing room”.

 Alex at the Science Museum

  Alex and Elliott at the Modern Art Museum (GOMA). 

If I have the car, I try to get out of Brisbane. We have visited local seaside towns and have found some lovely places. However, it is really difficult to enjoy it properly when I am on my own. I cannot really take Alex on a beach or in a splash park whilst I am trying to look after Elliott. It’s frustrating for Alex who is desperate to collect seashells or have a paddle. Therefore we also have trips to soft-play and baby cinemas. Prior to coming to Oz, I would have said going to soft play would be a waste of our time. However, they have been a godsend. We went to a little soft play that holds mini-discos throughout the day. Unfortunately, Alex was too shy to join in and prefers the typical soft play warehouse. Thankfully, I have found a good one that gives grown-ups free coffee (decent) on arrival.

 Alex at Nicky Noo’s Playhouse

Elliott at the more traditional soft play

The title of this blog is the Playgrounds of Queensland, it is fair to say I have spent more time in playgrounds in the last two months than I have in my whole life. Australian playgrounds are generally amazing. They are bigger, better maintained and far more adventurous. When we arrived, Alex was quite scared by the climbing. He is getting much better, but seems far less foolhardy than your average 2-year-old Queenslander hanging from the climbing frame by his ankles. 

 

 

 

 Elliott’s first time in the swing

To save my sanity, Alex has started attending nursery one day a week. In fairness, the main motivation was the lack of company his age. He spends ages trying to make friends in the park or soft play. It has been really hard for me to watch him try. If the children have siblings or friends, they have no interest in playing with him. If they are on their own, sometimes they struggle to understand his accent. On the occasion he does make friends he has a wonderful time. It has been fascinating to watch his social development. The other day he joined in with some bigger kids running around a roundabout whilst pushing it. He managed to trip over his feet and somersault over quite spectacularly. He jumped to his feet and played it cool for the big kids. He then ran towards me and once he was in the cover of the trees burst into tears and wanted a cuddle. Alex falls over, a lot. His knees and elbows are permanently scratched and bruised.

We arrived in Australia with our three suitcases. Alex has therefore left many of his toys in the UK. He asks about returning home on a weekly basis, mainly because he misses his toys (sorry Grandma and Dadi-ji). Coming to Australia has been a great lesson in making play and activities from nothing. I am also trying (but failing) to encourage him with his letters and numbers. He is still obsessed with the planets and talks constantly about them. He is also obsessed with sticks, every time we leave the house he is constantly on the lookout for good sticks and tries his best to bring them into the house.

We have had some rough days. The typical cycle is as follows: Elliott is irritable and grumpy resulting in lack of Alex attention, leading to Alex misbehaving, resulting in Mummy stress and angst, further aggravating Elliott irritability and Alex misbehavior.

However, by far the worst thing is when the children are unwell. Usually, I would call a grandparental for emotional support and an extra pair of hands. Here, we are alone and it’s really hard when Irmeet is at work. A few weeks ago Elliott started vomiting, he couldn’t keep any fluids down and wasn’t passing urine. Irmeet went to do a nightshift whilst I dragged Alex around Brisbane at night trying to find some rehydration fluids. As Irmeet left for work, I knew how the night would end, with us at the Children’s Hospital. Waking Alex from bed at 2am, getting both kids in the car and Irmeet leaving his night shift. Three failed cannula attempts, nasty hives from anaesthetic cream, emotional wreck mummy, traumatised daddy (from helping with failed cannula), overtired Alex and a nasal feeding tube. Thankfully, Elliott picked up with the help of NG fluids and was discharged the following day. The staff and care at the Children’s Hospital was amazing. However, it was a day when I really wanted to come home.

 Poorly Elliott

It is a strange experience being away for so long. It may be stating the obvious but it really doesn’t feel like a holiday. Sometimes I have to remind myself where I am and what we are doing. Irmeet keeps reminding me that we are making memories that we will remember fondly for the rest of our lives. I couldn’t agree more, our trips to Fraser Island, Noosa, Sydney and Melbourne have been amazing. However most days, I am focused on getting through the day, looking after the boys without having a meltdown. Turns out maternity leave in Australia is just the same as maternity leave in the UK, just hotter.

Further Observations on Australia

Australians love vitamins. In every pharmacy and supermarket there are rows and rows of health supplements. Sheep placenta anyone?

Australians also love going out for breakfast. Even on weekday mornings, cafes are packed with people eating breakfast.

The city centre is dead on a weekend. Not surprising really, everyone heads to the beach at weekends rather than going shopping. The city centre shops close earlier on Saturday than they do Monday – Friday.

Babies in Australia are Bubba's or Bubs. Elliott Bubba is one of his many pet names (but the favourite is still Elliott Bear).

Kate

First Adventures

At this stage, it would be customary to post that we are settling in to a routine. However, thanks to Irmeet's irregular shift pattern, no two weeks are ever the same. His rota incorporates regular leave periods of 4 - 5 days.  Therefore we have been able to spend time as a family and go on our first two adventures.

Trip to Byron Bay and Surfer's Paradise

Our first adventure was to Byron Bay and Surfer's Paradise. We decided to stay relatively local to Brisbane. Mainly because of Alex’s inability to sit in a car for more than an hour before repeatedly saying 'I don't like fast roads'. Back home Alex has learnt that motorway signs are blue, therefore he can immediately start complaining about being on a fast road within seconds of joining one. In Australia, motorway signage is green, prompting a new favourite repeated question 'Is this a fast road?’ Quickly followed by ‘you’re tricking me’ and  'I don't like fast roads'. 

The drive to Byron Bay should be about 2 hours. Therefore we stopped at Burleigh Heads for some breakfast and a wander around. Burleigh is known for its surfing and the sea was full of children at surf school. The beach was beautiful, however we did not stay long because of the rain. Yes rain! I sat on the beach, wrapped myself up and thought 'It's just like Cornwall'. I could have been at Newquay had the rain not been warm. 

                                      

                                        Burleigh Heads in the Rain

                                    Looking towards Surfers Paradise

Our accommodation in Byron Bay was a little pink hut a few hundred yards from the most beautiful beach. It had a nice little bar on site, lovingly decorated with vintage, retro furniture. This was lost on Alex, every time we went in he would complain loudly about the ‘broken’ or ‘old’ furniture. We were out of town, so the local beach was quiet. Alex loved playing on the sand, however the surf was so strong that we could only have a quick paddle.

Elliott Bear outside our little pink hut

Byron Bay itself was not what I expected. As anticipated it was full of Backpackers in usual backpacker attire. However, it was not as ‘hippyish’ as I thought it would be. The town centre was not that impressive. I had hoped for better shops and interesting bars and cafes. In fairness we may have missed that due to early bedtimes. However, the beaches were all stunning and we spent a lovely morning on Tallow Beach. We also took a trip up to the lighthouse and enjoyed some incredible views.  

 Views from Byron Bay Lighthouse 

After two nights in Byron Bay we headed up to Surfer’s Paradise, calling in at Brunswick Heads for some breakfast. It turns out that Surfer’s Paradise might be paradise for hardcore surfers but not for anyone else. The beach is very impressive with incredible surf. I got the impression that I would instantly die if I stepped one foot in the sea. However, the town is basically Blackpool in 30 degree plus heat. Therefore we had a quick wander around and decided to give it a miss.

 Breakfast at Brunswick Heads

The next morning, rather than hang around in Surfer’s Paradise we headed to Tamborine Mountain. The guidebook told us that the drive up the mountain was quite treacherous. However, it was surprisingly gentle in comparison to many European roads. We had a lovely day exploring the area, visiting a cheese factory and a waterfall at Cedar Creek. However, the highlight was Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk, a short elevated walkway at canopy level. The walk was easily accessible for pushchair and Alex did not complain once. We then headed back to Brisbane, pleased with our first adventure.

Pictures from Tamborine Mountain

Trip to Noosa and Fraser Island

Adventure No. 2 was to the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Island. For the journey we decided to give Alex an iPad loaded with Ben and Holly. I have always resisted doing this in the past, but we couldn’t bear his complaints any longer. We decided to call at Australia Zoo on the way to Noosa. However, our visit started with Alex throwing a tantrum because we dared to take the iPad off him mid-episode. Once Alex had recovered from this gross injustice we had a wonderful day. We had been warned that Australia Zoo is an oppressive OTT shrine to Steve Irwin. However, it did not detract from the day. The highlights were feeding the Kangaroo’s and patting a koala’s bottom. They also had an animal show in the “crocoseum” (small stadium with a crocodile pool at the centre). It made you feel uneasy watching the keepers provoke crocodiles to make them ‘perform’. It was easy to get caught up in the spectacle of it. You have to remember that the crocodiles at Australia Zoo were ‘problem crocs’ in the wild and would have been killed if they had not been transferred to the zoo.

    Crocs in the Crocoseum

Elliott croc in the Crocoseum

 Kangaroo's and Koala's

How Elliott spent most of the day

After Australia Zoo we headed up towards Noosa. We stayed outside of town at a place called Peregian Beach. I am so glad that we did, our accommodation was amazing and a fraction of what it would have been in Noosa. We spent the next day around Noosa Heads, including a fabulous few hours on the beach building sandcastles. Alex loves the beach, however has a very annoying habit of throwing himself in the sand when we are leaving so he needs to be re-rinsed off in the sea. Later that evening we had seafood at a restaurant in Peregian. If Alex goes to bed late he develops sleep-induced hypomania, therefore he was exceptionally loud throughout dinner, talking to everyone who would listen.

Alex on the Beach at Noosa

Noosa Heads

The following day we headed to the Noosa river. We hired electric bikes, towing Alex and Elliott in a little buggy. Turns out that electric bikes are very strange things! It took very little effort to cycle up and down the riverbanks. I suppose it was a good thing due to the heat and weight of the buggy. We spent the afternoon in the swimming pool and decided to eat in Peregian again. Peregian had a lovely little town square surrounded by restaurants. The place was buzzing with locals, all the children playing in the square. It was lovely to see Alex play with the local kids. However, he quickly did a face-plant fall. He burst into tears and was really hard to console. He made a real mess of his nose and face.

The next day we headed up to Fraser Island. It took ages due to the need for small children stops. We had decided to stay at one of the few resorts on the island, Kingfisher Bay. We had a lovely evening at the Jetty watching the sunset.

Prior to going to Fraser, we had long debates about the pro’s and con’s of hiring a 4WD versus an organised tour. We had concerns about both children managing the whole day tour. I also had concerns about Elliott and the bumpy roads. Eventually we decided on the organised tour, however I was still very apprehensive about it. We should not have worried, as the tour guide, Peter, was amazing. Unlike many tour guides, he was genuinely laugh out loud funny. He was very understanding with Elliott, letting us stay in the air con whenever we needed to. He was also amazing with Alex, picking him up to let him press buttons on the bus. Peter became Alex’s new best friend. Alex asked him lots of questions, repeatedly. We saw all the major sights on Fraser. My favourite was Eli Creek, floating down the Creek on a rubber ring with Alex capsizing us on a regular basis. Alex and Irmeet also took a short plane flight over Fraser, taking off and landing from the beach. I will never forget the sheer joy on Alex’s face as he ran towards me after the plane landed. We had an amazing day, Elliott slept for most of it. Turns out that Fraser’s bumpy roads are notorious for sending children under 2 to sleep instantly.

 Alex running off the plane

Alex on Fraser 

 Photo's from the plane

Lake McKenzie

The next day we chilled out at the resort before the long drive back to Brisbane, calling at Eumundi for dinner on the way home.

In other developments

Cyclone Marcia hit the Queensland coast a few weeks ago. It was a category 5 storm (the strongest) when it made landfall. Thankfully, there were no fatalities, however many families have lost their homes. The news coverage shows many houses ripped apart. The storm hit the coast about 400 hundred kilometres north of Brisbane. However, Brisbane was battered by heavy rainfall. Resulting in the cancellation of one of the Cricket world cup matches at the Gabba. This was only the second time a world cup cricket match has ever been cancelled. The first time, unsurprisingly, being at the Oval decades ago. For us, this meant 48+ hours stuck in our tiny flat. We watched multiple movies, thankfully Alex's favourite at the moment is the brilliant ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’. Unfortunately, not even Dragons can entertain Elliott. By the time the storm had passed we all had extreme cabin fever. 

Alex continues to injure himself on a regular basis. The ‘Peregian face-plant’ is a particular highlight in the long list of SAI’s (Significant Australia Injuries).

We have found a nursery for Alex one day a week. He is not too keen on going, but seems to enjoy himself when he is there. On his first day, they had a 'animal show'. He tells us that they saw a snake, some spiders, lizards and a crocodile. I am dubious about the crocodile, but hey, we are in Australia and you never know.

Elliott is growing up fast and we have started weaning. In true Aussie style, one of his first weaning foods is avocado and it is a big hit (not sure that beetroot is an appropriate weaning food).

Elliott has already learnt how to conspire with his brother. Alex will repeatedly make loud and annoying noises in front of Elliott. We tell Alex to be quiet, but Elliott is laughing hysterically at him.

Further observations on Australia

-       Café’s and Restaurants often share toilets with other businesses in the complex. Therefore, Aussie toilets can be quite horrible.

-       We have spotted some brilliant, but quite racist, bumper stickers. The best being “made with spanners not chopsticks” on a Holden (Vauxhall).

-       There are lots of mullets and dodgy tattoo’s in Queensland.

-       Generally, coffee here is far superior to back home. However, tea is rubbish.

Kate