A weekend away

We went, we saw, we conquered.  Our secret hotel was lovely and in a brilliant location in the CBD.  It turned out to be the Crowne Plaza.  Very nice room with 2 double beds.  Perfect.

We had a 3 hours drive to get there through some beautiful landscape that in parts looked like the Highlands of Scotland sometimes and other times like Wyoming.  Really beautiful, hot, dry and pretty unforgiving!  We stopped for a picnic and a rest stop and approached the picnic bench with a little trepidation as there was a huge sign warning about the snakes.  Happily we saw none.  Slightly more dramatic was the rather ripe thunderbox though!  I would rather bush wee then go in one of those again.......

We made our way around Canberra to our 1st stop.  The Corin Forest bobsled!  

 This wire pulled us up to the top of the hill in our little bobsled seats and then we took a ride back down the hill!

 Team Sydney - boy sub team!

Team Sydney - girl sub team.

Great fun and of course the more we did it the faster we got.  Andy & Finn must have reached 35k's on the last go!

We drove back down the winding hill to Canberra and checked in with no hassles.  Nice,  modern, clean and hinting at luxury hotel.  Perfect.  We paid $130 a night, so a good deal I think.

We walked out of the hotel and onto City walk to find somewhere for tea.  Saturday night in Canberra is amazingly quiet - hardly anybody around but we found a little Japanese place for some nibbles.

We made a prompt start on the Saturday and went to Cockington Green Gardens in the morning.  Lots of miniature houses and people is right up the street of my two favourite littlies.  Hot, hot, hot though for us Poms. 28 in the morning advancing to 32 by lunchtime, phew!  Sun cream applied twice and totally essential......

 Finn & Isla love fairies.  This is the miniature fairy garden.  They really like Tinkerbell & we have a lovely fairy book with a little girl called Isabella which is totally magical and great for a calming bed time story.

 Pink cheeks.  Isla looks hot too....!

Kent style little housing and me trying to get rid of my horrendous vest strap tan lines ready for a dress that really will show them for a wedding in February.

They had a pub next door serving draft Guinness and Kilkenny.  A little 1/2 pint of heaven for lunch.

We then headed over to the National Australian Museum for a bit of respite in the air con!  I had been before and the building architecture is amazing but for such a huge building there really isn't a lot to show for it.  Cool though!

We made use of the hotel facilities that night and ate in the restaurant after pre dinner drinks (read - one whole bottle of champagne to oneself, no hangover...bonus!).  

So, school boy error made the next day when the navigating was left up to moi!  Lesson learned....1 cm on the map can be a mighty long way.....

We went West for 300k's, albeit through some amazing scenery and dirt unsealed roads to Jervis Bay.  Saw a dead black snake at the side of the road which was pretty big.  About 1 1/2 meters long and as thick as the thin end of a baseball bat.  Shudder.  Then a lovely moment that really reminds you that you are in Australian...wild kangaroos!

Proper, live, wild, reclining, snoozing, joey in the pouch 'roos!

Unfortunately as we drove over the mountains from Canberra to the coast the weather changed.  A 10 degree drop in 2k's which we were not expecting or were dressed for!  So a lunch by the beach, quick stroll and then North for 300k's and 3 hours later...home.  Hmmm, I have told Andy to not let me navigate solo again!  Maybe it's best if he reminds me of his blog entry when he tries to tell me that though.......

So, in conclusion, Canberra is quiet but in a beautiful place in the world and in my opinion worth a visit for the drive in and out alone.  I love the structure and organised nature of this planned city and the government buildings are striking and imposing.  It really reminds me of Washington in America but way quieter!

A great weekend.  We took the children's bikes and they made use of them in Glebe park next to the hotel.  Unfortunately Isla has inherited my tendency to go pink and get frizzy hair.  Not sure if you can see that in the next photo but it's cute all the same!

A girl with purpose!