Christmas and New Year in Mildura

" It's 800 kilometers to Mildura. We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of licorice. It's dark and Audrey's wearing sunglasses"..

So began our road trip to spend Christmas and New Year visiting Amy's parents (Ivor and Wendy). Unlike previous times we've made the journey we completed our trip in one go rather than stopping in the (Hammer House of Horror) town of Hay. It took us around 11 hours both going and coming back, and the kids were excellent passengers both ways, which was a huge relief. Part of the secret seemed to be heading off early (4.45am) which meant that they were subdued for a fair amount of the journey. The Justine Clarke CD also got played a hundred times.

Driving long distances such as this is different in Australia to the UK. In the UK it's more a case of dodging the spray off the roads and avoiding over-tired lorry drivers. In Australia it's more of an endurance drive with long stretches of nothingness with no visible signs of civilisation from the road to the horizon. It makes you realise just what a huge continent Australia is.

We spent nearly a week in Mildura. It's a nice town, pretty much miles from anywhere set up originally by two Canadians who forged an irrigation scheme to make farming possible. The arrival of the railway allowed the town to boom and it's now well known for orange growing as well as the River Murray which meanders its way past the edge of town.

Amongst other things; we spent half a day on a beach on the edge of the Murray, visited Wentworth Gaol an historic gaol (built in 1879), had an interesting morning in the town's art gallery, had a couple of trips to the leisure centre for Audrey (ok Dad) to show off her swimming skills and I spent a morning fishing with Ivor, catching a Golden Perch.

Most of all it was good to see Amy's parents and for them to see how the kids had grown. Eli especially loved the extra attention and cuddles he got. He's a real sucker for kisses!

We returned to Canberra on Friday and the significantly more cramped confines of our ancient (in a bad way) kitchen and tiny bathroom.

Here's a few pics

Amy, the kids and her parents on one of Mildura's 'beaches'

Eli dipping his toes in

Audrey at the botanic gardens

Wentworth Gaol

Eli being disturbed in his bathAudrey escaping the heat by playing in the sprinklersMe with my catch!Balranald (famous for its frogs!) Amy in Narrandera on our drive home (kids in their pyjamas)