Day 1 - Wednesday, 22 August
Auckland --> Cairns:
Up super early at 3:30 am, leave house at 4:15am. Get to park n fly at 4:45 am.
Get shuttle to airport with crazy van driver.
Check-in using high tech Air NZ self check-in kiosks. Plane is quite small, Airbus A320. 5 hour 40 minute flight, so time watch two movies. Captain America, and Avengers.
Helen and Gerry (Pa, Helen's dad), picked us up from Cairns airport. Harry is already struggling with the heat. He had a thermal t-shirt and normal t-shirt on, so not surprising. Quick change in the airport toilets into shorts, t-shirt, jandals (thongs in local lingo).
Yummy bbq dinner and Helen and Gerry's.
Day 2 - Thursday
Cairns:
Off to the Cairns Tropical Zoo. Lots of cuddly Koalas and Kangaroos, and some snakes, lizards, birds, and huge crocodiles. Fun was had by all.
Day 3 - Friday
Cairns --> Port Douglas:
Travel into Cairns city centre and kids went for swim in the Esplanade pool.
Then Pa took the boys up to Port Douglas, and Helen drove the girls.
Lunch at the tin shed, check into Sheraton Mirage, swim at the pool bar. Dinner at old pub in town. I took the kids home at 7:30pm, Kellie carried on catching up with her friends.
Day 4 - Saturday
Port Douglas:
Breakfast at hotel buffet. Down to beach to try Harry's boomerang. Worked pretty well. Kids did the pool adventure challenge, till lunchtime. Pizza for lunch at the pool bar.
Behind the scenes tour of resort at 4pm, followed by reunion drinks/dinner at Plantation Bar. Took the kids back to the room around 6:30. Ordered some room service, couple of pizzas. Then we left them in room to watch movie - Wrath of the Titans on iPad. We got back around 11:30 pm.
Day 5 - Sunday
Port Douglas:
Another buffet breakfast in hotel. More lounging around/in the hotel lagoons for the rest of the day.
Kellie went into town with Sarah to book trip to Low Isles. All booked out due to cruise ship anchored of shore. So decided to just spend more time in hotel pools.
Dinner in hotel restaurant - buffet dinner for 4 and wine buffet for 2. Total was only $108- (79 + 29)
Desserts were awesome.
Day 6 - Monday
Port Douglas:
Another buffet breakfast and more lounging and swimming in pool. Spent the day with Sarah around and in the lagoons.
Lunch from the pool bar.
Pre dinner drinks at the Daintree Lounge with the kids and Sarah - 2 bottles of Chandon.
Stumble out around 6:30 and back to the room for room service dinner.
Day 7 - Tuesday
Port Douglas --> Cairns --> Brisbane:
Last day here in paradise. A last buffet breakfast. Lashings of bacon, pancakes, poached/scrambled eggs, juices, ...
Pack bags and - pay massive bill at check-out. But had a large discount on our room rate (about 70% discount).
Get shuttle bus to Cairns - just under an hour trip.
Meet Helen at airport for a swap of Harry's iPod for Helen's shoes.
Quick 2 hour flight to Brisbane (Virgin Australia)
Leanne picked us up at Brisbane airport.
Spend evening/night at Leanne, Al and Rory's place.
Day 8 - Wednesday
Brisbane --> Surfers Paradise - Movie World
Leanne was generous and let us use her car. I drove us down the motorway to the first of the theme parks - Movie World. Spent the day there going on rides/shows...
Kids were bouncing all day from the adrenaline.
Left the park around 5pm and drove into Surfers. Found Santa Fe apartments by accident in Labrador just at the edge of Surfers. Which was handy, as it was reasonably priced and couple of good restaurants and liquor shop across the road.
Sav's for dinner - yummy steak house just across the road.
Day 9 - Thursday
Surfers Paradise - Sea World
Breakfast in waterfront cafe overlooking beach.
Off to Sea World for more adventures.
Rides...
Dinner at Mexican across the road from our apartment.
Day 10 - Friday
Surfers Paradise - Wet n Wild
Checked out of apartment, then drove to outlet mall just north of Surfers Paradise.
Breakfast at bakery in mall. Found out it was a local holiday - so shops opened later at 10am.
Found a bag shop and bought a mid-sized suit case to fit all the loot in. Also bought a pair of running shoes for Harry.
Then on the road again to Wet n Wild.
Got there about 11am. Kids eyes bulged when saw the size of the water slides. They were huge.
Kellie and I went on a couple of the water slides with the kids. But most of the time we just let Harry and Ashley go off and have fun on the rides themselves. I did the Sky Swing - cost extra $20-. Quite scary and fun - Kellie vetoed the kids from this one.
Bit cloudy today, and not many people, so no queues on rides.
Left the park at 4pm - so we could head back to Brisbane.
Arrived back at Leanne's at 5pm. I went into town to meet Al and went to the league match between Broncos and Penrith. It was Petero's last home game. So big crowd - 35,000. Got to walk on the field afterwards.
Kellie and Leanne stayed home with the kids and had a good catchup. Harry and Rory played and talked Minecraft all evening.
Day 11 - Saturday
Brisbane --> Auckland
Last day was glorious blue sky. Packed our bags and quick breakfast and coffee. Leanne drove us to airport and we were off back home, Virgin Australia/Air NZ flight (NZ136). Quick flight - 2 and half hours. Just enough time to watch the movie Prometheus.
Pick up car from Park n Fly and home by 6:30pm.
Auckland --> Cairns:
Up super early at 3:30 am, leave house at 4:15am. Get to park n fly at 4:45 am.
Get shuttle to airport with crazy van driver.
Check-in using high tech Air NZ self check-in kiosks. Plane is quite small, Airbus A320. 5 hour 40 minute flight, so time watch two movies. Captain America, and Avengers.
Helen and Gerry (Pa, Helen's dad), picked us up from Cairns airport. Harry is already struggling with the heat. He had a thermal t-shirt and normal t-shirt on, so not surprising. Quick change in the airport toilets into shorts, t-shirt, jandals (thongs in local lingo).
Yummy bbq dinner and Helen and Gerry's.
Day 2 - Thursday
Cairns:
Off to the Cairns Tropical Zoo. Lots of cuddly Koalas and Kangaroos, and some snakes, lizards, birds, and huge crocodiles. Fun was had by all.
Day 3 - Friday
Cairns --> Port Douglas:
Travel into Cairns city centre and kids went for swim in the Esplanade pool.
Then Pa took the boys up to Port Douglas, and Helen drove the girls.
Lunch at the tin shed, check into Sheraton Mirage, swim at the pool bar. Dinner at old pub in town. I took the kids home at 7:30pm, Kellie carried on catching up with her friends.
Day 4 - Saturday
Port Douglas:
Breakfast at hotel buffet. Down to beach to try Harry's boomerang. Worked pretty well. Kids did the pool adventure challenge, till lunchtime. Pizza for lunch at the pool bar.
Behind the scenes tour of resort at 4pm, followed by reunion drinks/dinner at Plantation Bar. Took the kids back to the room around 6:30. Ordered some room service, couple of pizzas. Then we left them in room to watch movie - Wrath of the Titans on iPad. We got back around 11:30 pm.
Day 5 - Sunday
Port Douglas:
Another buffet breakfast in hotel. More lounging around/in the hotel lagoons for the rest of the day.
Kellie went into town with Sarah to book trip to Low Isles. All booked out due to cruise ship anchored of shore. So decided to just spend more time in hotel pools.
Dinner in hotel restaurant - buffet dinner for 4 and wine buffet for 2. Total was only $108- (79 + 29)
Desserts were awesome.
Day 6 - Monday
Port Douglas:
Another buffet breakfast and more lounging and swimming in pool. Spent the day with Sarah around and in the lagoons.
Lunch from the pool bar.
Pre dinner drinks at the Daintree Lounge with the kids and Sarah - 2 bottles of Chandon.
Stumble out around 6:30 and back to the room for room service dinner.
Day 7 - Tuesday
Port Douglas --> Cairns --> Brisbane:
Last day here in paradise. A last buffet breakfast. Lashings of bacon, pancakes, poached/scrambled eggs, juices, ...
Pack bags and - pay massive bill at check-out. But had a large discount on our room rate (about 70% discount).
Get shuttle bus to Cairns - just under an hour trip.
Meet Helen at airport for a swap of Harry's iPod for Helen's shoes.
Quick 2 hour flight to Brisbane (Virgin Australia)
Leanne picked us up at Brisbane airport.
Spend evening/night at Leanne, Al and Rory's place.
Day 8 - Wednesday
Brisbane --> Surfers Paradise - Movie World
Leanne was generous and let us use her car. I drove us down the motorway to the first of the theme parks - Movie World. Spent the day there going on rides/shows...
- Superman Escape
- Batman Arkham Asylum
- Batwing Spaceshot
- Green Lantern
- Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster
Watched the Scooby Doo show and last part of Western show.
Kids were bouncing all day from the adrenaline.
Left the park around 5pm and drove into Surfers. Found Santa Fe apartments by accident in Labrador just at the edge of Surfers. Which was handy, as it was reasonably priced and couple of good restaurants and liquor shop across the road.
Sav's for dinner - yummy steak house just across the road.
Day 9 - Thursday
Surfers Paradise - Sea World
Breakfast in waterfront cafe overlooking beach.
Off to Sea World for more adventures.
Rides...
- Jet Rescue
- Sea Viper
- Vikings Revenge Log Flume Ride
Shows...
- Dolphins
- Jet Stunt Extreme
Dinner at Mexican across the road from our apartment.
Day 10 - Friday
Surfers Paradise - Wet n Wild
Checked out of apartment, then drove to outlet mall just north of Surfers Paradise.
Breakfast at bakery in mall. Found out it was a local holiday - so shops opened later at 10am.
Found a bag shop and bought a mid-sized suit case to fit all the loot in. Also bought a pair of running shoes for Harry.
Then on the road again to Wet n Wild.
Got there about 11am. Kids eyes bulged when saw the size of the water slides. They were huge.
Kellie and I went on a couple of the water slides with the kids. But most of the time we just let Harry and Ashley go off and have fun on the rides themselves. I did the Sky Swing - cost extra $20-. Quite scary and fun - Kellie vetoed the kids from this one.
Bit cloudy today, and not many people, so no queues on rides.
Left the park at 4pm - so we could head back to Brisbane.
Arrived back at Leanne's at 5pm. I went into town to meet Al and went to the league match between Broncos and Penrith. It was Petero's last home game. So big crowd - 35,000. Got to walk on the field afterwards.
Kellie and Leanne stayed home with the kids and had a good catchup. Harry and Rory played and talked Minecraft all evening.
Day 11 - Saturday
Brisbane --> Auckland
Last day was glorious blue sky. Packed our bags and quick breakfast and coffee. Leanne drove us to airport and we were off back home, Virgin Australia/Air NZ flight (NZ136). Quick flight - 2 and half hours. Just enough time to watch the movie Prometheus.
Pick up car from Park n Fly and home by 6:30pm.
Comments