July 2013

We'd booked flights a while ago to try and get cheaper fares, and Clancy'd decided for us that the bit extra we'd pay for Qantas was worth it. I tend to agree with him! Especially for the longer WA to east coast flights! Included baggage allowance, meals, entertainment, baggage checked right through to end destination... made for a much easier experience. Particularly as we were all fighting bad headcolds.

I'd really been dreading the take off and landing, having previously experienced bad pain from blocked sinuses on a flight before. We were really lucky this time, with no pain for any of us. Breastfeeding Kaden, and everyone else sucking on throat lozenges must've worked! Having ABC 4 Kid's programs available on the inflight entertainment was a big help with Sonia, and the few toys we'd brought were very useful during the wait in Melbourne for our connecting flight to Launceston.

Another toddler issue we had to deal with that turned out different to what we expected, was bladder and bowel control. Sonia's not 100% toilet trained yet, with the occasional accident, and requiring frequent reminders and enforcement. Despite encouragement throughout the trip, and complaints of a sore tummy, it wasn't till we landed at Launceston that results were reached with longest, biggest, smelliest poo ever! And in the toilet too! We'd expected to have to change atleast one set of nappy pants.

Finally retrieved our bags, picked up the hire car (including some fun learning how to start a car with no keyhole in console! ... Ensure foot is on the brake!), and headed to our booked accommodation for some much needed sleep! Note for future late arrivals... pick up some take away food on the way from the airport to the hotel.

Finally, the day for the event Clancy had said we definitely could NOT miss! The Latrobe Chocolate Winter Festival! It was going to be an awesome day filled with all things chocolate. Food, art, fashion, music, poetry, drinks, entertainment... and more!

The drive from Launceston was great, with nice views of snow on the distant tiers and mountains. There were lots of different activities and competition's for all ages, with a lot of the local businesses and organisations getting involved. Plus the all required taste testing availabilities! Using our stroller with its attached buggy board came in very handy for containing, and keeping two kids moving. However, it was a bit of a hindrance with the crowds of people.

Sonia enjoyed being able to decorate and eat her own biscuit at a stall the local IGA had set up. We all enjoyed the different things on display throughout the town, and couldn't avoid buying some chocolate that was constantly being offered, and fresh fruit from the local market. Hmm... and with Clancy there... there was no way we were going to miss the taste testing sites!

Picking up lunch to take and eat in a park turned out to be a good idea too. We found a nice park with playground, picnic tables, toilets, parking, and creek with small waterfall/rapids and bridge, just behind the shops on the main street. Coincidentally named 'Kings Park'. We're from Perth, WA, where 'Kings Park' is the major park/gardens of the city. Sonia enjoyed the playground, and also the new 'game' of mum trying to set up the camera on a rock for a self timed family photo, then rushing to join everyone else, having to catch and pick up Sonia... who by then was half way down to the camera on the rocks near the creek!

Even without the chocolate festival, the town itself and surrounding districts would be well worth a visit. Many historical sites, natural things to enjoy, and places to eat/drink. I would've liked to have gone to the Axeman's Hall of Fame, and the Warrawee Forest Reserve to try and see a platypus, but time and kids did not allow. We did however get to enjoy plenty of other things.

Chocolate Chef's...

• Parking was difficult due to it being the chocolate festival weekend, but we were lucky and got a quick spot. A free complimentary shuttle bus was operating from the town centre for the day though for those who couldn't get parking.
• The chocolate making area had good viewing windows, and a video running as well, which was greatly appreciated when you couldn't see through the crowd of people at the windows.
• Some good and interesting information on the history of chocolate was well displayed.
• Taste testing was available at the small shop building to the side of the cafe and chocolate making building.
• Was a bit crowded for us to fully enjoy the place and all it had to offer, but we still thought it was worth a visit.

Big Cherries

• Had an excellent set up for visitors, including families.
• Big cherries you could climb up in and look out of.
• There was an outdoor toddler player/area set up with door access to both the outside picnic area, and also into the inside cafe tables.
• Sonia did not want to leave the big cherries and play area.
• They had an aamazing and very informative set of dioramas set up inside showing all the stages of growing, to processing cherries. Including some 'hidden' things to find in each one. Managed to keep Sonic interested looking for different things long enough for us to read the information on each one!

Ashgrove Cheese Cows

• The cheese tasting and numerous painted cows around the outdoor eating area were really the only things that really caught Sonia's attention.
• We were also able to view the maturing room, and read the different informative posters. Obviously more interesting to us than the kids!

The Raspberry Farm Lake

• I popped into this one very quickly on the way home to Launceston, as both kids were sound asleep by this stage.
• Would've been a really nice place to spend more time earlier in the day.
• They also had an outdoor toddler play area, as well as a much larger grassed area near a lake.
• The lake and grass picnic area looked nice. I would've enjoyed the walk around the lake, but had to keep moving unfortunately.
• The tasting and testing of produce available was also very good.

• Plugs

Make sure you remember to pack both a medium/large and small/medium multifit plug for hand basins or washtubs. Especially if you're travelling with kids who aren't used to showers! I remembered to do this thankfully, and have used them at nearly every place we've stayed so far on this trip. Whether for bathing Kaden and/or Sonia, washing dishes, or washing a few quickly needed clothes. At both caravan parks and hotels.

• Mobile Internet

If you want regular access for checking email or whatever on the net, take you own access device, or plan in time to find somewhere for access. Most people would be able to do this on their phones nowadays anyway, unless they're like us and still haven't upgraded to smart phones yet. The majority of campgrounds we've stayed at haven't had wifi available. Or if they do, we've arrived too late to be able to purchase some usage time from reception for our tablet.

• Gumboots

This was an excellent suggestion we received from one of our friends in Hobart. She recommended we get some for Sonia. We did, and are very glad we did so! The amount of water and mud she's walked through since being here in Tasmania is amazing! Plus they're very quick and easy to get on and off which helps greatly with toileting and getting in and out of the car or campervan. Let alone the enjoyment she gets from being able to walk through water and mud!