CAMP SOMERSET

Camp Somerset is located on the Colo River, just over an hour North West of Sydney.  It was the destination for Grace's Year 8 Camp at school   It was three days of camping which Grace's has grown to enjoy since living in Australia.  The 3 day camp included a hike, a canoe expedition punctuated with high ropes/abseiling and their infamous Wombat Hole.

One of the activities that we really like about school here in Australia is the fact that the children go to camp with their classmates each year.  The destination and activities at camp vary depending on the actual camp but, it is such a fantastic experience.  The children learn how to bond together as a class through team building activities and just being around each other 24/7.  My girls are loving this part of school and look forward to each camp.  Thanks so much teachers and principals for all time time and effort you put into planning camp each year.

Before Camp and ready for some fun!

Canoe anyone?

Grace is looking pretty DIRTY after her adventure through the "Wombat Hole"
 -- Underground maze through concrete pipes on your belly!

BRIDGE CLIMB

Part 2 of Claire's Birthday celebration included the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.  One of the most beautiful structures in Sydney is the Harbour Bridge (Tom would say it is his girlfriend - the Opera House).  To be able to climb it with Claire was a wonderful dream come true for me.  I don't know what it is about bridges maybe the civil engineer in me but, I happen to LOVE them.  They are beautiful!

The weather was cooperative on Monday.  It happened to be a wonderful blue sky day however, it was a bit windy - about 40km/hr.  So you can imagine it was quite gusty at the summit of the arch.  


It addition to the 3 hour climb, our guide taught us so much history about the Harbour Bridge.  It was fascinating as Jacqui (our guide) shared with us such interesting facts and stories while we traversed this LARGE structure with its surrounding views.

• It was built during the Great Depression and it employed about 1500 people each day.
• It took 8 years to complete.
• There are 6 million rivets holding the bridge together.
• It is the LONGEST single span bridge in the world.
• During the construction, only 16 people died while working on the it.
• It is made of many equilateral triangles which gives it unbelievable STRENGTH! 

It was truly a memorable experience and one I will never forget.  I highly recommend it! 

SIXTEEN CANDLES

 

This beautiful girl turned 16 on April 22nd.  We cannot believe that she is 16 and we wonder where all of the time has gone.  She is our "first" and because of this, every milestone seems so HUGE.  

If we were living in the USA she would be getting her drivers license, however we are not so her sixteenth birthday evolved into a different affair.  You are not able to have your official driver's license in Australia until you are 17.  Once you are seventeen, there are many restrictions that come with it and those restrictions don't go away for approximately 3 years.  

Tom and I have yet to decide if we are going to let her venture into the side of driving while living "down under" because all of the skills she would learn may become confusing for her when she is back living in the States.  Driving on the opposite side of the road is challenging for anyone at first and I think it would be difficult to flop back especially as a NEW driver.  I have struggles flip flopping back and forth despite the fact that I have been driving since Henry Ford invented the first car. :) 

Since the usual sixteen year-old events are not achievable while living down under, we thought we would try to celebrate with Miss Claire in style while making memories.  The weather on her birthday was less than cooperative, we were in the middle of a cyclone.  It rained like 340 mm in 3 days.  There were flash floods, trees down and it was not a GREAT idea to be outside.  Most of the things we had planned for her special day involved being in the sunshine so we had to postpone our plans for a bit until the weather cleared up.  

However, once the storm passed we were able to celebrate her birth with some fun "FIRSTS."  She went for her first official High Tea.  We spent the day in a beautiful spot overlooking the harbour and enjoyed all that High Tea has to offer.  Claire is quite the FOODIE.  She loves great tasting food, beautiful food and miniature food.   She might just be a Masterchef in the making.  

She was in heaven sitting on a beautiful balcony, sipping tea, tasting beautiful food with her best friend(me).  We had a chance to catch up and chat about her hopes and dreams.  I am so proud of this girl.  She truly strives to be the BEST she can be both inside and out.   It is bittersweet that I ONLY have 2 more years with this wonderful young lady until she is off to college.  I wish I could freeze time. :)  As for now, I will savor every MOMENT!

In addition to High Tea, we went to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb - see my next post.