+ with the turn of the weather, it’s time to check in with our good friends at Deep Creek Conservation Park! It’s been 7 months since our last road trip, + there’s nothing better to shake off the winter blahs than a warm day spent hiking in the shade of green canopy! There are a lot of wildflowers blooming this time of year, so this entry is both colourful + image-heavy; you’ve been warned 😀
whistling ninjakitty
an artist, two little boys and a home by the sea
I’ve been working on getting my Aussie driver’s license, + so this was the first road trip we’ve taken that I did the driving, whee ^_^ Mister Wu kept trying to distract me, he thinks it’s pretty funny when dadda drives. I’m getting better 🙂
Weather was gorgeous, + I picked going back to Tappanappa camp ground, ‘cos there’s an easy walk along the coastal road to the lookout, + there’s always a gang of roos hanging around at dusk. There was only one other campsite taken, so we had our pick.
As soon as we got out of the car, we had a wild animal on our hands: the Wu Unit was so excited to get back in the jungles that he couldn’t sit still, even for dinner. He kept striking off to explore the campgrounds, + being the perfect height to use the animal trails through the underbrush, we had our work cut out for us. Luckily, he decided to help mum set up the tent;
That reverse move is useful in many applications, important to get up enough speed, though 😛
Mister Wu staying cool in his new possum pack, + one of the many carnivorous Scented Sundew, which had claimed a corner of our campsite.
After some hot tomato soup + rolls, I put O on my back + we took a walk towards the lookout. Orlando saw Venus come out, with much pointing + declaring as more + more stars appeared. We were greeted by the dining evening roos, black silhouettes turning to watch us pass, or thumping off into the bush. By the time we got to the lookout, a fog had rolled in just overhead, making it quite dark. Turning back, we could see headlights way back at the campground illuminating the fog, so we resign ourselves to having neighbors after all.
O is barely able to keep his head up by the time we get back to camp, so he passes out with no trouble when we put him in his sleep sack, even though another late arrival decided to take the spot right next to us + are making a fair ruckus between the four of them. It’s slowly cooling off, but we stay up with cocoas, watching the stars peeping down as fog rolled overhead.
Morning is announced by loud hoppings nearby. Orlando loves waking up in the tent. “Where am I? Oh, MA PEEPS, WHEE!” Over breakfast (camp coffee, yay), we’re joined by one of the locals, who just seems to be curious + wanting to share a song;
After breakfast, it’s time to pick a hike, + it being spring, we decide the Spring Wildflower Hike sounds perfect. We break camp, packing instant noodles for lunch.
The Wildflower hike starts well, but it quickly becomes clear that it’s a 4WD track, dry + dusty with no canopy. Not what we had in mind! So we strike out under the canopy, following a firebreak for a while before stumbling across the “Forest Trail”, which is green + shady, + in full bloom.
A hidden friend
I stopped to take a shot of the trees along the firebreak, which are completely blackened with heaps of new leaf growth (the panorama at top), catching a roo napping, apparently – we don’t notice him until he gets up as we’re about to continue on. After this, the trail was very nice, + very colourful, so I thought I’d try to capture some of it. If I get the names of any of these flowers wrong, it’s ‘cos I’m a newbie with our copy of It’s Blue With Five Petals.
Orlando was a bit impatient waiting for his minute noodles to be ready, + so he started scrounging the bush for snacks, after all, what is the Conservation Park but a big garden? Apparently the ferns were choice, if you could get them fresh.
Just a quick overnight stay, but we all returned full of vigor + looking forward to our next adventure!
thank you for sharing! it looks like a delightful trip!
Ha ha, I think you got in before I could get all the pics + movies in there. . . took me forever >_<"
Loved the color, yu have spring and we have fall. Keep them coming.How is the baby?
H enlarged the pic on the Bridge for me–it will be scrapbooked.
Orlando is beautiful and sure tryng to talk. Love it!!!!
Hey, I’ll send you an original, no worries!
We took the little guy to a friend’s wedding tonight, + dinner came late, but he just toughs it out, does his best to be good + have fun, singing + telling everyone that the candles on the tables are HOT! Makes us very proud, he’s such a lovely little person. I hope we have a chance to visit you, we’d have so much fun ^_^