Trip to Noosa

Today we set out on our week long adventure. We managed to be packed and in the car ready to go by 10 am . It was lucky we didn't manage to get ready sooner otherwise we would have missed the postie that pulled up with a package just as we were about to leave. We didn't get far as we had to jump out to mail a couple of letters and then we found ourselves going the wrong way (Cyp was driving) so we did a tour of of our local park and then we were on our way.
We were playing leap frog on the highway with two long vehicles (big trucks) and I was getting anxious (I was actually in the passenger seat). Thankfully, they finally passed us - we stick to the speed limit here - just too many speed cameras and police around to take the chance with speeding. Plus the lanes are really narrow on the highway - it's kind nervewracking going fast.

We had decided to drive through the glass house mountains on the way to Mooloolaba (pronounced muhloolahbah - say it fast). We had seen glimpses of them before when we had gone to the Australian Zoo (Steve Irwin's zoo). They are quite neat - big pointy mountains - in a very large ring - with lots of space in between - I guess that is why they are called the glass house mountains. They look kinda like teeth too. The surrounding area kinda reminded me of Hawaii. Just before heading up to one of the scenic lookouts we stopped at a tourist info kiosk. They are everywhere in Australia. I've decided I should get a job at one as you get to tell people where to go. I think I'd be good at that. Anyway - the tourist info places are all rather nice. This one had a very fantastic playground so we had to give the kids 10 minutes run around time before heading out. Dad was happy - he got to go in and ask lots of questions and get lots of maps.

We had a picnic at the lookout - we saw another Lace Monitor (they seem to like our picnic spots) and Ellis spent the time walking on all the rock walls. Unfortunately, Rowan decided to follow (as he must do everything big brother is doing) and crashed head first into the pavement. He didn't leap off the rock wall or anything - don't get the wrong idea - I wouldn't let him do that, he just fell while walking along. He is sporting a big red road rash dime spot on his forehead now. Ellis never did that, but he was more cautious. Rowan is intent on getting the walking thing down. He practices at every opportunity.

We hit the road again and were soon in Mooloolaba. We miraculously found parking and unloaded our two strollers from the thule (which is quite the process) only to discover we had parked in the wrong spot (from the ladies at the tourist kiosk). Oh well - we could walk - quicker than packing up, reparking etc. The beach in Mooloolaba is nice but we had many long discussions as we were walking along about where we could stop to swim. Dad ran off and got directions from the lifeguards at one point and then tried to tell us we could swim in a certain area. We weren't having any of it though as we have been well trained - very well trained - to always swim between the flags at the Aussie beach. That way, when you are being dragged into the water by a shark, someone will be watching (or carried away by a rip). Anyway - we did stop finally but I was still fretting about the fact that we weren't swimming between the flags and dad was getting more and more irate with us - he had talked to the guards after all - he got the ok! So finally I said - ok - we'll go in! and headed to the water. Mom came along and said - "look - there are flags right there." (which I had noted earlier) so we walked to the flags and mom and dad carted our crap down the beach - it's quite the process hauling two strollers through the sand.

Once we were finally settled, we did have fun - Ellis is a changed person from Hawaii - he was jumping in the waves and playing and Rowan was a maniac. He just walk/crawled straight into the water. At one point a rogue wave got him (I think he swallowed half the ocean) but he didn't seem to mind much.

Ellis was turning raisins and blue so we had to go - we hiked back along the hard packed sand - it was easier.

We drove onto Noosa with mom and dad leading - dad is quite proud of his map skills. In hindsight we should have been leading as we had read that you have to cross 100 roundabouts to get into Noosa. The book was right. We had turned on our GPS (as Cyp likes to follow along with both the car GPS and his two phones) when I noted that we were going to have to make a left turn at the upcoming roundabout. Mom was driving in the right lane so I moved over and left space hoping that they would get the hint. They didn't - as we went around the roundabout, mom and dad realized their mistake - so they kept going round, unfortunately, we were in the left hand lane so had to exit the roundabout not where we wanted. There was no way to turn around where we were - we had been shot out onto another stretch of the highway with no stopping or turnaround points.
"Quick - call mom and dad and tell them to just keep going the way they were going - we'll meet them at the hotel."
Cyp eventually got through to them, but I could tell the message wasn't really getting through - they had already come looking for us - but they said they would meet us at the hotel.
We got to the hotel - no mom and dad. I checked us in and phoned them - they were lost. "Give us 5 minutes and call us back." said dad. Ok.
Cyp unpacked our car and I called them back.
"Ok - we got directions, we're on our way - we'll be there in 5 minutes."
OK. I took Rowan and went and stood in the driveway hoping that they would see me as our hotel driveway was right on the exit of a roundabout. As I was standing there, I saw a little rust colored Hyundai Getz going around the roundabout with someone in the passenger seat starting intently at a map. I started waving frantically. The car went around once and headed off in the opposite direction. About a minute later, I saw same said car circling the roundabout again - I waved madly again. It then shot off in another wrong direction.
I guess it wasn't them.
I waited another five minutes and then called. Dad answered with a very defeated sounding voice
"hello? yes - we're at 24 Lanyana way - you can come get us now)."
Fortunately, Ellis was having a record nap in the car so we were than happy to continue our road trip. John got us to them in minutes and we led the way back. It was almost an hour since we had lost them (but only about 3 km). It was definitely drink time.
As we were drinking, I was telling dad that I was sure I had seen them going round the roundabout.
"nope - wasn't us." he said. Then he started looking at the tourist map of Noosa I had got a check in.
After about 10 minutes of map studying, dad said: "Did you see that little car here?" pointing to the roundabout where I had been frantically waving.
"yes"
"That was us!"
Yah - I figured - Noosa ain't big, but it sure is confusing.
It was too late to make dinner so we had to go out. We headed to Bistro C. Noosa is very schwank. Bistro C was very schwank. Fortunately they didn't have room for us. We did look quite a mess - 8 hours on the road, swim at the beach, kids with snotty noses. Cyp tried to use his Iphone to find somewhere else, but dad just walked across the street and started asking questions again. He found us a place quicker. Turned out to be good and we slowly unwound. Well, 2 out of 6 of us unwound. One parent now has to walk around with Rowan and one grandma had to contain Ellis.
After dinner we left grandma and grandpa so they could have some peace and stroll through Noosa at a nice pace.
"Will you be able to find the hotel?"
Yes, yes,
We went back and I took Ellis for a quick swim in the pool and then it was bed time. Unfortunately our setup was that of a bedroom and a fold out couch. So Ellis got the bedroom and the nice bed. Rowan wouldn't go sleep and Cyp was hogging the fold out couch so I told him to go sleep with Ellis. I spent the night nursing Rowan who seems to have developed a super high fever to accompany his wracking cough. Needless to say, between the couch and Rowan, I didn't sleep.