Sunday's Seven Snapshots: Houseboat Holiday

Okay.  Yea.  There's probably going to be more than seven snapshots this Sunday, but hey, I was on holiday...

Thursday was AUSTRALIA DAY!  It was also the last weekend before school starts back up for the stepkid.  We figured a long weekend getaway was called for, so we rented a houseboat.  This is something my guy has wanted to do for years, and it's on my "50 Before 50" list.  Win all around.

This was our "luxury" houseboat.  We decided the business should be called "Friendly Houseboat Hire" or "Myall Lakes Houseboat Hire" because I think "luxury" might have been a little misleading.  But, it was fine.  Seriously. 

Think RV or caravan, but on water.  My biggest piece of advice: don't rent a houseboat with people that you don't want to be trapped in a small space with, 24/7, can't get away, for a few days. 

Where we rented is about 3.5 hours north of where we live.  You start by driving for about 2 hours down a river that spills you into a lake system of 4 separate freshwater lakes.  The first day was overcast, and the river reminded me of Louisiana swamps. 

What did we do for 4 days and 3 nights?  Relaxed and rejuvenated.  Yes, we had pretty decent phone service and charging abilities, but I made a point to take a few pictures, then put the phone away. 

I disconnected from the phone and the rest of the world, and I inhaled fresh air while connecting with my two favorite guys. 

There were several places to anchor or moor and go on some hikes as this set of lakes is apart of the Myall Lakes National Park.  We did this a couple of times.  One hike took us to a BEAUTIFUL beach, but I had been swimming and didn't have my phone with me, so you don't get a picture except this one that I borrowed from the internet:

Photo Source

The boys fished a little but didn't catch much.

We swam.  The bottom is sandy and no dangerous Australian animals such as stingers, crocodiles, or sharks anywhere.  That's a bonus. 

I did a little driving from time to time.  It is a cruising boat...not a speed boat...so it doesn't go anywhere fast.

Mostly, I helped navigate.  Or, really, I helped decide where to go/what to do by pointing on the map.  Then, my guy got us there while I read, relaxed, and got some sun.

Finished one great book and started another

Got a little sun

Checked out some of the locals like watching pelicans fish for food, watching a goanna stroll on a boat dock, feeding the greedy ducks, and watching the black swans glide across the water.

We played monopoly, watched a couple of movies (by the way, " Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" movie is actually pretty entertaining), and took in these views:

I got back to reality, had a few news notifications, and discovered Donald Trump's attempt to halt refugees from certain countries and targeting certain religions, and my blood immediately began to boil...but, I refused to let it ruin this trip.  So that topic will be for another day's post.

Have you ever stayed on a houseboat?  Would you?

Hunter Valley

I like to drink wine.  I'm not one that does it every night, but I enjoy it.  I know nothing about it - the grapes, fermentation, aging, how to properly "taste" test - all of that just starts sounding like blah blah blah blah blah to me.  Just being honest. 

BUT...like I said, I like drinking it, and I live in a country that likes to produce it.  So, when my friend Shelby came to visit me from Texas, and one of the items on her "to do" wish-list was to visit a winery, it gave me a perfect reason to knock off one of my "50 Before 50" items too. 

PLUS, as a bonus, my friend Stefan (who is South African but he's lived in Australia for 17 years) went to Texas a few months back.  I connected him with Shelby to show him around Austin.  He offered to return the favor and take us around the Hunter Valley, a wine region about an hour or so from Sydney.  He's a member of a few wine clubs, so we happily agreed to put ourselves in his capable hands.

First stop was at Peterson House - makers of all wonderfully bubbly things.  Our complimentary tasting consisted of whites, roses, reds, and sweet wine too...all sparkling.  Some of these, Shelby and I didn't even know you could get in a sparkling wine, and we were a little skeptical, but oh lawdy, were they phenomenal.  She and I both left with multiple bottles.  My purchases included a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, a Tempranillo, and a dessert wine that I still can't pronounce: Botrytis Semillon.

This greeted us at the entrance of Peterson House.  Fortunately it was 100*F+ temps (40*C), so I was making the assumption that the snakes would be hiding somewhere to keep cool.

Our second stop was at Hungerford Hill Wines, a place that Stef recommended the reds. 

Shelby and I prefer reds, and since we had about 12 wine tastings already and had more stops ahead, we chose to just stick with reds at this stop.  We were not disappointed.

C'mon.  The wine's name is "Heavy Metal" (and y'all know I'm a rocker girl for life), the label is the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and it was a delicious red.  Of course, I bought this one.

Stefan joined their wine club, and Shelby & I bought some bottles.  They were happy to see us visit.

Our next stop was the Lambloch Estate, and we were greeted with this beautiful view.

One of Stefan's wine buddies praises their Shiraz, so, you know, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

Yes, this is a wine region, but other tasty beverages are concocted as well.  I'm a fan of the cider, so this was a pleasant surprise.  I bought a four pack - one of each.

Is that enough wine for you?  Well, we went to the Hunter Distillery too.  Didn't want any alcoholic beverages to feel left out.

This baby right here is a test tube of Caramel Vodka, and it is one of the most amazing libations to ever pass these lips.  Take all my money.

Supposedly, the founder of the distillery looks a lot like Santa.  So, every Christmas they create a raspberry and honeydew melon liqueur packaged these bottles using his likeness.  It was only a few days after Christmas.  Raspberry Santa needed to come home with me.  I like mixing it with Coca Cola and create my own version of a cherry-ish (raspberry) Coke.  This bottle will most likely last me all year.

Many of the wineries has lovely restaurants with exquisite food, but Stefan had learned that Shelby and I are big fans of the cheese platter, so he took us to The Smelly Cheese Shop for some much needed food.

Last stop, a brewery.  Actually, the Hunter Beer Co. located at Potters Hotel Brewery Resort.

I had an Ale Dorado...I know, I know, it's fashioned like an American beer, but I just loved the name, and in the heat, I didn't want anything too heavy.

Stefan tells me that we just scratched the surface of all the places to visit and sample.  He's already got a list for us to visit in the future.  Plus, it is a gorgeous, scenic spot that could make for a great weekend getaway someday.

If you visited Australia, would you be interested in visiting the Hunter Valley?

Wild Ropes at Taronga

When I decided that I wanted to tackle Taronga Zoo's Wild Ropes for a "50 Before 50" activity, I wasn't really sure what was in store.  I've heard of ropes courses.  I've known others who have done them.  This one hovers over animal enclosures at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.  Sounds cool, right?  They are open to kids 8 years and older (reaching a height requirement).  How difficult can it be?

I knew my friend Shelby and her son P were coming to visit.  My stepkid and I checked out the website and pictures and decided we'd buy all of us a package while they were here for a Christmas present from our family to theirs.  Prices actually seemed somewhat reasonable (because most things in Sydney are not reasonably priced.)  We selected the "Adventure Package" which consisted of:

Adventure Package + Zoo entry - includes access to two courses plus same day Zoo entry. Purchase a combined Wild Ropes / Taronga Zoo ticket online and save:
Adult $69
Junior* $45

We arrived a little early which was great...enough time to use the toilet, drink some water, check out the duck pond and water fowls next to the course...and check out these guys just chilling out...they are situated underneath part of the Wild Ropes course.

We weren't allowed to take anything with us...meaning no cameras and no phones.  We got harnessed up, were given a few basic instructions, had a picture taken, and then, we were on our way. 

P was the brave one who volunteered to go first, and he was an awesome leader!  We'd here him yelling through the trees shouts of encouragement: "Erin, you got this!" and "Good job, Liam!" 

Honestly, I don't even know how to adequately describe the challenges.  First, let me say, they were NOT as easy as I expected.  We needed balance.  We needed more strength than I predicted.  There were ropes (duh!) and platforms, things that swing and shake and rock and move.  There was a "lower" course that we tackled first, and a "higher" course that we conquered secondly.  We basically kept calling ourselves "America Ninja Warriors"; the stepkid called himself an "Australian Junior Ninja Warrior".

Speaking of the stepkid...I can't tell you how proud of him we were.  There were some times when he was nervous, scared, unsure, and outright saying, "I'm not doing it".  There were moments of coaching, encouraging, supporting, and even bribing him to tackle certain apparatus challenges.  He rocked at some, and others were rocking him to the core.  But, he did it!  He did them all! 

Look at that little "Australian Junior Ninja Warrior" crossing that rope!

Speaking of overcoming some obstacles...the stepkid overcame fear.  Shelby, well, she overcame injury.  At some point, in the first course, she felt her arm/shoulder pop.  She pushed through.  She thought maybe she wouldn't do the second course, but after seeing Liam overcome his fear, she thought she'd overcome her discomfort.  (Since she's gone home and seen a doctor, she's learned that she strained a pectoral muscle and ruptured a rotator cuff; she was even sent to a specialist to make sure surgery wasn't needed!)

Once finished, we all needed about 6 gallons of water each.  We were sweaty messes, all pretty happy with our accomplishment and experience, and ready to visit the zoo. 

Another "souvenir" from Wild Ropes - matching bruises on our arms!

This is the type of activity that is exactly what I wanted for my 50 Before 50 list - something I've never done before, something I shared with loved ones, and something that made me feel pumped about myself after doing it. 

Have you done a ropes course?  What did you think?