Truly, one of life’s most unpleasant tasks has to be packing up house. As we prepare for our relocation to Melbourne I am in the midst of organizing for the move. One of the reasons I find moving house so stressful is because it forces me to confront the ridiculous accumulation of possessions that has…
I love being able to expose my kids to experiences they will remember and that will positively influence their worldview. They loved seeing marine turtles in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park off Green Island. Unfortunately all resident species of marine turtle in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are considered threatened. The Reef HQ…
Three thousand kilometres. That is how far we will be moving in the New Year, from tropical Cairns to temperate Melbourne. The truth though, is that it seems a lot further given the massive changes to our lifestyle that the move will entail. For the better part of ten years, my husband and I have…
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” Ecclesiastes 3:1 I know there are gracious people out there that read my blog and will have wondered why I have been so quiet in recent months. The truth is I have been doing as little as possible. The reason is…
Put your hand up if you live at least an hour flight, or full days drive away from someone you love. I would need more than ten hands to put up for all of my loved ones that we live remote to. There are a number of travel bloggers that travel full time, living their…
My father Professor Murray Esler is a renowned research cardiologist. As a consequence of his international reputation (proud much, who me?) he travels frequently and is a Qantas Platinum Level 1 frequent flier. Nearing seventy he was somewhat confused to be asked by the chief steward on an international Qantas flight whether he had left…
Accommodation costs can be so prohibitive to family travel. Our family has only recently cottoned on to the perks of Mystery hotel deals, and consequently our travels have become significantly more affordable. Mystery hotels are typically four or five star properties that generally cost 40-50% less than the stated rate at similarly ranked properties at…
I remember the first trip I took as a mum. The suitcase I shared with my baby was jammed full of baby items. Melbourne mum Bec has created a business that I wish I new about when I first started traveling with my sons. She created Baby Packs Lite as she found that packing a gigantic…
Character experiences featured prominently on our recent trip to Queensland’s Gold Coast. Sponge Bob Square Pants was an elusive target that thankfully made an appearance on our last morning at the Sea World Resort. My two year old found Dora the Explorer a little scary but was particularly fond of Boots the monkey. I don’t…
Have you checked out the Family Friendly Accommodation website yet? Melbourne mum Amanda launched the website last year allowing parents to post reviews of family friendly accommodation in Australia and around the world. The most recent post on the site’s blog Family Gathering is by yours truly. On the blog I write about why a…