I needn’t even write about this one, I could just show you the photos and that would be enough to send you scrambling for your credit card to book a ticket! Driving into the car park, and getting a sneaky peek of the tulips through the trees, takes your breath away.

Then you go inside…….

This years theme at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival is Over The Rainbow- The Wizard of Oz, and The Wilsons of Oz weren’t going to miss out. I’m a bit emosh about tulips, I have always loved them; so much so that they were the only flower at our wedding; and that mixed with the “Oz” theme, was too much for this woman to bear!

This weekend it was ‘food, wine & jazz” weekend, so we picked a good one! Not only did we get to tip toe through the tulips, we got a tractor ride with a wonderful commentary about the history of the festival, and some delicious tasters too!

Tulips, tractors, tasters… You see what I mean!? Perfect!!!

There’s so much for you and the family to enjoy. There’s a treasure hunt, some beautiful little cubby houses, a great tree for climbing, ice creams, dutch delights, sculptures, clogs, bulbs, and most importantly acres of breath taking tulips for you to meander through.

Take a picnic, pack your camera, pick up your purse and walk down the Yellow Brick road to truly see the colours of the rainbow right there in the Dandenong Ranges… Not to be missed… by a soul!!!!

Tickets and Info

The festival is on now until the 10th October

Coming up: Oct 2-5 Children’s Super Hero Week Oct 6-8 Irish Weekend Oct 9-10 Live Music

Opening hours: 9am – 5pm daily

Tickets -Adults: $28.00 Concession: $24.00 Children (16 and under): Free, if accompanied by an adult.

Book tickets here! (The queue was pretty long so it’s well worth booking ahead and printing out your tickets!!

Location: Tesselaar Tulip Festival 357-359 Monbulk Road, Silvan

Tel: 03 9737 7722

Wow! What a day yesterday! As Royal Melbourne Show virgins we weren’t sure what to expect. We’d done a little research, had a few chats with the neighbours and been given some handy tips about show bag buying, but apart from that we were well and truly winging it.

The train took us from Flinders Street directly to the showground gate; we hopped off and were faced with views of the unbelievable rides, the laughter, the air filled with excitement!!

‘Celebrating 162 of years of bringing the country to the city this year, the Royal Melbourne Show is Victoria’s largest showcase of agriculture and is conducted annually by The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV).’- Royal Melbourne Show

We headed straight for the Show Bag Pavilion which I was desperate to see. I have never really understood the Aussie Show Bag thing, but if I was ever going to get to grips with it then this was the place to do it. It’s not an exaggeration to say there were more than 300 show bags ranging from $3 upwards. We gave the kids $30 and prayed they’d make a good choice. Monty went for minions (good choice), Poppy (surprise, surprise) went for mega sour lollies! *cue horrified face, and beads of sweat on my forehead.

Once we’d crammed our goodies into a small locker ($10) we headed to see some of the other awesome attractions. The woodchopping was immense, the children screamed wildly at the Freestyle Motorcross Stunt Show, and we all “ooed and ahh’d” over the gorgeous animals in the Animal Nursery.

There is more than you can imagine at this years show, so you need to be prepared with good shoes, a purse full of cash, pre paid ride tickets and be ready for a day of awesome fun.

Our hot tips:

1. Buy your show bags as soon as you get there to avoid the queues later in the day! Lockers are cheap and far better than lining up for hours!!
2. The Nova Sky Wheel is one of the best spots for watching the nightly fireworks!!
3. Take a picnic and top the kids up with hot chips or something delicious from the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion. (Strawberries and Chocolate Sauce is $10 for a small cup!!)
4. Don’t jump on the first ride you see… There are hundreds all over the showground. Make good choices as they’re not cheap!
5. Take hats as there’s not a lot of shade….
6. Plan your day using the Daily Schedule from the RMS website.
7. Travel by train, it’s easy peasy and takes you right to the gate!!
8. Don’t miss the woodchopping, it really is awesome!
9. Make sure you get to the Makers Pavilion to see the astounding work done by some of the handiest people around.. Cakes, crochet, drawing, photography, and much much more!
10. Check the times for the Feature Entertainment as it would truly be a shame to miss out on the stunts, Hi-5, Jessica Mauboy or Australia’s Strongest Man and Woman!!

We had a truly wonderful day, made some unforgettable memories with friends, enjoyed exploring, ate delicious food, rode scary rides, watched some spectacular shows, and had a good laugh at all the animal poop! Another awesome expat adventure down under!!!

The Royal Melbourne Show is on now until the 3rd October. Open 9:30 – 9pm daily. 

You can read all about the show here and use this map to help plan your day!

Father’s day was a great excuse for us to celebrate what an awesome father my children have. No matter how fast life seems to fly, he is always the steady, calm, centre of our family. No matter what we face, he’s always able to approach everything clearly and sensibly. He is exactly what this family needs, as the rest of us are completely irrational and fly off the handle with absolutely no notice whatsoever.

Like a lot of dads, Mr W is at work most of the time. This means he doesn’t get the chance to feel completely drained by little people’s moaning, or absolutely broken from yet another tale being told. He doesn’t feel the pain of packed lunch making, or school uniform washing, or tantrums at bath time, or whinging about the walk home from school, or the distraught screams when I suggest we eat dinner before having ice cream…. This doesn’t make him any less of a father! It means his time is concentrated in to smaller, more magical and meaningful moments.

Sometimes I could scream as I imagine him, pottering around the office, hanging out at the water cooler, not a care in the world, whilst I’m wrestling iPads out of the clutches of two disgustingly grubby kids, whilst trying to force feed them some dense green vegetables. Why does he have to work so much????

However, I know Mr W is like a lot of parents out there;  working long hours, in stressful jobs, longing to be at home for bedtime story reading; desperate to be at the assembly to see the kids get an award; but good old Noreen has called yet another meeting….

The rat race gets in the way of life and gets in the way of parenting, but ultimately it gets in the way of Tim having those quality moments just as the children drop off to sleep, or as they run out of the school gates proudly clutching their latest masterpiece.

So this Father’s Day I made sure we spoilt him, and I also made sure the kids got the most out of some special Father time. We drove down to the Mornington Peninsula in the pouring rain with Tim blindfolded (the children insisted) and feeling queazy! We visited Boneo Maze and Mini Golf, where Tim played his Super Dad role perfectly.

He spent over an hour playing Mini Golf with the kids in the rain, Poppy scoring very diligently, and loving every minute.  He played tricks on the children, pretending to trip up and miss the ball. He made them belly laugh. He ran around the maze at full speed trying desperately to lose them, which they found hysterical. They played hide and seek, tiggy, and changed the rules of hoopla so we threw the rings over our arms, legs and heads. He picked them up and spun them around; as they flew you could see the adoration in their eyes. He followed them round on the carousel, watching them every second. We ran through the huge gardens, in amongst the blossom trees. Tim pointed out beautiful birds whilst the children sat attentively next to him in the bird hide taking it all in. They searched for their own special find to impress him.

We spent hours totally enjoying our surroundings, and embracing just being with him, holding his hand, catching him. I noticed Monty holding onto Tim’s leg as they walked the boardwalk, which verified just how wonderful it is to be a father, no matter what work makes you miss out on… We are so lucky to have him, and I adore how absolutely they burst with love for him.

I’m solo parenting far, far from home this week, and I’m not cross that he’s away again! I’m happy that no matter how often he goes away, or how exhausted he is when he comes home; to us he is utterly wonderful, and we’re going to make the most of him when he’s home because he really is the best dad ever!!

Hope you all had a lovely Father’s Day too!

Olivia 

Boneo Maze is located on Victoria’s stunning Mornington Peninsula. The 27 acre wetlands are a beautiful showcase of the Mornington Peninsula’s indigenous flora and fauna, including many species of frogs and water birds.  Their passion for connecting people with nature inspires them to ever evolve in their connection to this beautiful natural environment. 

All the details so you can take your family to Boneo Maze

September School Holidays at Boneo Maze- If you are wondering what to do with the kids this school holidays, look no further!

Spring School Holidays mean Boneo Maze’s Adventure Zone is Back!  *Bungee Tramps, *Quad Tramps, *Pedal Boats and our *Rock Climbing Wall are all out of hibernation and are ready to test your skills. Spring into Spring with these high energy activities. Lots of arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, mazes, mini golf, jumping castle and carousel rides to keep the family entertained for hours.

*$5 per ride or *$15 for a 2 hour unlimited rides wristband

Other Dates for your diary…. 

Grand Final Weekend – Take advantage of the long weekend and head down to Boneo maze.  Enjoy Footy themed crafts, Scavenger Hunts, Mini Golf, Mazes, jumping castle, vintage carousel and our Adventure Zone.

Halloween – Booo ha ha…  celebrate Halloween early on October 29th with Boneo Mazes’ spooky themed activities. Balloon artists, face painters, kids crafts and costume competitions are all part of the fun. Make your own spooky mask, bob for apples and enjoy our spooky themed scavenger hunt!  Lots of prizes and fun to be had by every one!  Don’t forget the Adventure Zone is back open on weekends, Public holidays and School holidays! Rides start from just $5!!!

Melbourne Cup Day/Weekend – Boneo Maze will be getting into the racing spirit with lots of arts and crafts for the kids.  They can design their own jockey jumpers, take part in colouring competitions, giveaways and prizes, scavenger hunts and all the awesome activities always on offer at Boneo Maze. Don’t forget about the Bungee Tramps, Rock Climbing wall, Pedal boats on the lake, mini golf, mazes and giant games garden activities too.  Bring a picnic or be tempted by the freshly made meals in the licensed lakeside café.

Opening hours-10am – 5pm, 7 days a week (General Entry Prices: Includes mazes, mini golf, wetlands and boardwalk, jumping castle and giant games garden.)

Location: 695 Limestone Road Fingal Phone: 03 5988 6385

Cost: Family $60 (2 x adults, 2 x kids) Adults $18 Seniors $16 Children $15 (3 – 17yo) Kids under 3 are free

Add Adventure Prices: (Includes bungee tramps, pedal boats, rock climbing wall and quad tramps)

*$5 per ride or *$15 for a 2 hour unlimited rides wristband

 Book your tickets now 

The longer we’re here in Australia and the more I speak to expats, the more I come to realise that we’re all caught up in the same constant whirlwind of mixed emotions. We’ve all moved away from home for whatever reasons, be it work, escaping the dreaded commute into central London, or just for the sense of adventure. We’re all having a beautiful time,  making the most of the wonderful things expat life delivers, however, we’re also all fighting the same inner demons. Pushing the incessant state of confusion to the back of our minds, only for it to rear it’s ugly head as soon as we shut our eyes at bedtime. Or is that just me?

I think being an expat in Australia holds far more questions and unknowns than expat life in other countries. We’re not here for a ‘project’, or a set amount of time, before being moved on again. So many people come to Australia as expats, quickly decide to stay here forever and become citizens; it’s almost expected. People are taken a back to hear that’s not part of your plan. ‘What? You want to give this up? What about the kids?!! Another upheaval?..But the UK is shit!!”  (Yes, we get that a lot!) This only goes to add to the confusion.

So the questions dance around my head, like a drunken couple on a wedding night dance floor:

• “Have we done the right thing?” “
• “Should we stay for good?”
• “What if they don’t let us stay?”
• “Is the education system better at home?”
• “Have we made a mistake doing this at all?”
• “Do I want to make friends, only to leave them behind?”
• “I miss my friends and need to be closer to them.”
• “I know I’d be happier all round at home”
• “Who am I here for?”
• “I can’t imagine moving home now, it just wouldn’t be the same.”
• “I love our life here, I wouldn’t have it any other way”
• “Oh the children need to be closer to their grandparents, we need to get home.”
• “Life is easier at home”
• “Oh I love the lifestyle here”
• “The kids are so happy and settled”

It goes on and on and on. It’s as if you hopped off the plane and a “SHIT!!!!” button was pressed. Ta Dah, here is the ‘Expat Mum’ feeling!!  The feeling that you have done the wrong thing for your kids, your career… your marriage!!!!   However, in reality you’ve made an awesome choice and everyone is happy as Larry; so why won’t these feelings go away?!

Is it just me?

I’m pretty sure in my house no one else is giving expat life a second thought! Maybe it’s mum guilt on steroids? Maybe it’s a sense of longing for all the things I never appreciated, that I now don’t have the opportunity to embrace.  I’m well aware that it’s the ‘grass is always greener’ feeling. Some days, I desperately want to head home; yet at the same time I really don’t want to go!

I am slowly coming to realise this confusion I feel is all part and parcel of living so far away from so many people I love. That’s the only thing keeping me here on the edge of my seat, and it’s something all us expats need to keep pushing against! It can be all consuming at times.

Time to embrace it!!

I’ve realised that whether you’ve been a lifelong expat or have only been abroad for just a few years, you will have these nagging thoughts at times. It’s part of this rich life we have chosen. Ijeoma Umebinyuo’s saying ‘Too foreign for home, too foreign for here, never enough for both’ seems to ring true with me more and more these days.

I guess what I want to say to anyone reading this is, don’t push people away because you’re not sure how long you’ll be here, don’t miss out on doing that course because you may not need that qualification if you go home. Don’t live your life waiting for something else to happen, or for another move to take you away. Live your expat life as if you’re there for good. Build those friendships, make those commitments, buy that car, get a pet, choose that high school, because at the end of the day, no matter where you are, you don’t want to be missing out on the magic of living life to the full!

Olivia xx

We visited Hong Kong for 5 days last month! We didn’t have a lot of time, but we knew whatever we did, it had to involve a trip to Lantau to have a go on the cable car! We were thrilled we did as this is by far one of the most wonderful tourist attractions in the world!!

Ngong Ping Cable Car is a spectacular 5.7km bi-cable ropeway. It’s the first of it’s kind in Hong Kong, and well worth the easy trip across town to it’s very own train station.

We hardly had to queue with our fast pass (thank goodness as it was so hot), boarded the Crystal Carriage at Tung Chung, and crossed Tung Chung Bay, looking through the glass floor, down toward the water. (This sounds far more scary than it was.) The ride is serene. Gliding up toward North Lantau is spectacular. We had a beautiful clear, hot day, and the views were incredible. This has to be the best view available to tourists in Hong Kong. The 25 minute ride seemed to fly by, (excuse the pun). It was so special to be together in the cabin looking out over the vast South China Sea and the incredible North Lantau Country Park; a far cry from the bustling streets of Hong Kong in the distance. The journey also offers a breathtaking 360-degree view of Ngong Ping Plateau, the international airport, mountainous Lantau Island, and the beautiful Tian Tan Buddha. Before we knew it we had arrived at the top, and were hopping off into the heat of the village and straight to the freezer for ice creams.

Ngong Ping Village

Walking out of the cable car terminal and into the village you feel serenity straight away. The village is set on stunning Lantau Island, and within easy walking distance of  the Cable Car Terminal, Hong Kong Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The sun was beating down, I was so glad I had smothered everyone in suncream, and had an umbrella in my bag. The ice creams gave the children a little more energy to get through the village to the attractions so off we went.

“This amazing culturally themed village that connects to Ngong Ping Plaza has been designed and landscaped to reflect the cultural and spiritual integrity of the Ngong Ping area.”

There is plenty to do up here, we spent four hours making the most of what’s on offer. There are plenty of great places to eat and drink, there’s even a Starbucks up there for all you fans. If shopping is your thing, you wont be disappointed. Everyone is catered for, from kids toys, to souvenirs, to camping equipment to very ornate (pricey) chopsticks. Take your wallet!!

 THE BIG BUDDHA

Catching the first glimpse of the Big Buddha from the cable car,  sitting majestically next to the Po Lin Monastery on top of Mount Muk Yue was staggering. It’s 34m tall and absolutely can not to be missed. This trip had to be done before it got any hotter so we headed there first! We got to the bottom of the 268 step staircase, it was 38 degrees and really humid, the children were already sweating and groaning, but there was no way we weren’t climbing. Boy we were glad we did. (Even Mr W, who had to carry the children the last few steps!)

‘The imparting fearlessness of the right hand indicates the compassion to save all sentient beings from their sufferings; the ‘fulfilling wishes’ mudra of the left hand, resting on the lap, implies the vow to grant blessing and happiness to all.’

Once at the top, you are not only in amongst hundreds of important Buddhist relics, you are surrounded by the most wonderful, endless views of Lantau and the South China Sea. It really is like no where else on earth! Nothing could possibly beat this view!

Stage 360  – Secrets of the movies revealed

We knew both children would love this show, and we were right. As soon as we saw the costumes on display, the children started ninja kicking each other in the queue! Luckily, the showtimes were incredibly prompt so there wasn’t quite enough time for injuries. The show delivered everything it promised! Real stunts, sword fights and special effects secrets. There were ninjas, fire, awesome flying stunts, and some pretty cool sound effects made by our own stunt woman Poppy! Yes, she got up on stage and had a go at creating the sword fight sound effects! A great show for all the family, in Chinese and English. The theatre is like everywhere in Hong Kong, spotlessly clean, and nice and chilly.

Walking with Buddha

 Another exhibition which we experienced was ‘Walking With Buddha’. The air conditioned theatre was enough of a draw to get us in. The story is told of Siddhartha Gautama, who became Buddha, and his path to enlightenment. Sounds heavy, but it’s a very child friendly cartoon which we all enjoyed. You can read about it here: Walking with Buddha- Experience the Path to Enlightenment

 

We finished the day with the fantastic drumming performance, a beautiful bowl of noodles and dumplings, and headed home for a cold, cold shower!! Ngong Ping is a must visit for all visitors to Hong Kong!!!

Olivia xx

---

We visited on the 360 Fun Pass (Book Now)

The Wilson’s would highly recommend this pass for families visiting Ngong Ping. It includes:  Round Trip Cable Car, Motion 360, Stage 360 & Walking With Buddha

 

STANDARD CABIN ROUND TRIP

ADULT $255 ($290 from 1/9/2017 #)

CHILD*$170 ($180 from 1/9/2017 #)(3-11)

SENIOR▲ (65+) $200 ($220 from1/9/2017 #)

CRYSTAL CABIN ROUND TRIP

ADULT $325 ($370 from 1/9/2017 #)

CHILD $245 ($260 from 1/9/2017 #)

SENIOR $275 ($300 from 1/9/2017 #)

# Price is applicable for travel date from 1 September 2017.

Prices are shown in Hong Kong dollars (HK$). Infants aged between 0-2 years inclusive are free of charge.

* Child must be accompanied by an adult aged of 15 or above. Ticket holders may be requested to present proof of age.

▲Senior fare is only applicable to Hong Kong residents aged 65 or above. Ticket holders must present their Hong Kong ID card or Hong Kong Senior Citizen Card as proof of age.

Click here for all the details on how to get to the cable car!!!

The Ngong Ping Website is a great place to start planning your trip!

We had a pretty crazy weekend last week, full of kids birthday parties, blue lollies, fizzy drinks, popping candy (I know!!!!) and, shock horror a few disastrous tantrums..*Need to convince my folks to move to Australia and take over!!

We did however manage to have a few serene and pretty special hours in ACMI visiting the Wallace & Gromit and Friends exhibition. 

We’ve been meaning to get right into this for a while now, but just haven’t had the chance! I am so thrilled we haven’t missed out. With more than 350 objects on show from sketches, to clay models, to the actual sets from some of the movies, it really is an incredible view behind the scenes of all things Aardman. It is breathtaking to see just how much work, and detail goes in to making these intricate models which become such beloved characters when animated. To see them close up is marvellous. I could see the children were fascinated from the moment we walked in.

In amongst the jaw dropping 50 sets, stands the 5 metre tall ship from The Pirates! Band of Misfits. You really have to see it to believe it! The children loved the Shaun the Sheep sets, and loved seeing “Fowlers” hut from the movie ‘Chicken Run’. Every little detail has been thought about, which is astounding. The wallpaper in Wallace’s house, the clothes on Mrs Tottington, the bra hanging from the pirate ship’s washing line!!  This is every kids dream, and enthralling for any older animation fans too!

Mr W was walking round with his mouth wide open…. Not a pretty sight, but at least he was enjoying himself. In fact, I think he may now be a super fan, especially as he has revealed he is related to the VERY FAMOUS, SUPER TALENTED Peter Lord!! *Oh now you tell me!!

Once we’d finished watching clips, checking out the sets and the little characters inside, and looking at the many sketches, we headed in to the studio to make our own animation! Our kids love this!! They both took their time and carefully made “Splodges,” and the animation they produced, by themselves, was immense!!  Tip: Make sure you receive your emailed movie before you leave the table! It’s such a shame to get home and find out it hasn’t sent! *Bad mother award…. 

This exhibition makes me feel proud (and warm and fuzzy) to be British! The incredible work straight out of Bristol which has entertained kids and adults alike for 40 years, is here in ‘Marvellous Melbourne’, so get on it!!!

Location: ACMI, Fed Square Running until Oct. 29 Daily: 10am-5pm Tickets: $19 to $24 

What else is on??

Free Family Sunday

ACMI Family Sundays are free monthly activity days, each with a different theme. A reliable source of family entertainment and learning, ACMI Family Sundays combines hands on activities, performance and interactive displays with celebration and learning around the moving image.

NEXT FREE FAMILY SUNDAY- 3rd SEPTEMBER: SMART STORIES 

Let the power of your imagination take you on a journey to a world of wonder through storytelling!

Everyone has a story to tell, and ACMI’s Smart Stories Family Sunday is the chance to tell yours. Families can hear from the experts with chances to meet and greet award-winning children’s authors and illustrators on the ACMI Lightwell stage.

Audiences can learn to generate their own choose-your-own adventure narrative with Twine, and write and animate their own simple storybook adventure with hand-drawn images and iPads. The kids can discover their inner monster with ACMI’s fun and interactive storytelling sessions.

ACMI will have a craft your own comic book or graphic novel creation corner, and families can also expect to play a range of narrative based video games in ACMI’s Games Lab.

Location: ACMI, Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne
Date: First Sunday of every month
Cost: FREE
Web: acmi.net.au

SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS 24 SEPT-08 OCT
A range of animation, film making, and coding workshops for your little darlings! You have to check it out!