Easter Road Trip
I just got back from a short vacation with my daughter. We've had a few road trips over the years and they always feel like a really strong bonding time. We listen to podcasts in the car, eat random food, we stop and see the roadside attractions and take in the sites along the way.
With Easter and Anzac Day falling within the same week - it was an easy 10 days off taking off the middle days in the school holiday week. So we set off on Sunday, driving to see my mum, aunt, uncle, cousin from the UK and her brand new baby. There was lots of cuddles and nursing, as well as a chance to catchup on what's been happening in each others worlds.
We then headed down to Melbourne for a few days. There wasn't a lot of planning done about what we would do in Melbourne. Teenagers are tough in trying to coax out some level of interest, and the reality is we have a lot of the same "stuff" in Adelaide. So, we tried a few things that were a little harder to find. That included some American BBQ, a unique Asian dessert, and croissants from a bakery you queue up for. We then explored the streets, riverside and state library. We took in the free exhibition at ACMI too.
The next day, we travelled out to see another cousin of mine and another baby. Ms 13 was in fine form - I don't think I've ever heard her talk as much with adults before - she really came out of her shell and lit up as she took her turn speaking. We then headed to a local pub to see an old friend of mine, met his girlfriend, drank a few beers, ate and competed in the pub trivia - achieving an unexpected 4th.
The next day, we hit the road again, heading towards the Great Ocean Road. It's a remarkable drive through the coast and countryside, hugging the cliffs and beaches and occasionally climbing up into the hills and forests. The weather was fantastic, with some cloud cover, but warm and mostly sunny. We hit the 12 Apostles in the afternoon right when the light was perfect, peaking through the clouds and casting warm afternoon sun on the cliffs. The day ended with a tasty (lip-tinglingly spiced) pizza and with supplies for the next leg secured.
The final leg was back into South Australia, stopping at Mount Gambier to visit the sinkhole and blue lake before heading to the caves at Naracoorte. We then cut across to Kingston and checked in on the Big Lobster before driving home along the Coorong.
The trip was fun and somewhat chaotic. I love spending time with my daughter, and I got to recreate a photo from about 10 years ago - there wasn't anywhere to try and get her on my shoulders, and she was adamant she wasn't getting up there (and I'm not sure how well I could have carried her!). We got to share stories and talk through the things we listened to, whether about the welfare of Killer Whales or the different aspects of the culture wars. I love this not-so-little-anymore human.
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