Summer holidays don't get much better then this....We started with a scary flight from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, due to bad weather. We had checked the weather forecast and had been undeterred by the warnings of flash floods, so we only had ourselves to blame.
Our first stop the next morning was to visit Australia Zoo run by the Irwin family in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. It was just like watching a TV show, but live. The whole family performed, with Bindi doing a series of songs, lip sinc'd with a foursome of girl dancers.
There were big crocs and crikeys. The Irwins seemed to have fun despite choreography and a much practised show. Afterwards the girls got to hang out with young Bob
Irwin, playing in Steve's old truck on display. Great fun and a well put together zoo all up.
Then we moved on to the main show. Woodford folk festival is called mudford for good reason. This was the 25th year and they seemed to be well practiced with rain. We were ready, each with our own gum boats, rain jackets and umbrellas.The festival is set in a valley, spread over several kilometres. It takes more then half hour to walk from the bottom of the festival to the top. The event starts after boxing day and finishes the day after New Years Eve, and the only real way to enjoy it is to stay in a tent.
There are around 15 large tents, covered venues, with amazing music playing pretty much constantly through out the seven day festival. In between each venue that are food stalls and shops selling musical instruments, hammocks, hats, and hippy clothes. Almost anything really.
There are comedians, bush poets and speakers on many weird and wonderful topics
performing. Rock sculptures being made and remade through out the seven days around the festival. The girls obsessed about these rocks and made a few piles of their own through out the festival.There is a special area just for the kids, which has free face painting all day long, amongst other things. Even on site babysitting which allowed David and I to enjoy new year eve on our own. Our favourite tent was the Chai tent, which is the only place that is carpeted and has pillows and low tables though out.
And everyone seems happy. There is a wonderful, friendly vibe, with people being nice to each other. There are few venues where alcohol is served. And happy people drifting from gig to gig.One venue was called the dance hall
and had lessons all day, from belly dancing to Bollywood, to African dancing, and much more. Trinity and India went to one on Burlesque makeup and hair (of course). To the left 
Trinity is on stage getting a 'kitten ears' hairstyle makeover.Trinity and India's favourite site was the creeks, where the kids gathered. Trinity continues to build her leadership skills by bossing all the kids around (right). Sometimes they listen and sometimes they don't.
Trinity met some unsavoury characters, like Kevin Rudd,
the previous prime minster of Australia. Speaking of unsavoury, we got to play 'Bogan Bingo' - performed by the only Rock bingo band in the world. David got to rock the stage with his air guitar show too.
The final day, January 1st was beautiful. 
The fire event was magical and we lucked out to sit right next to the bonfires, and got nice and toasty. It began to rain and we finished with an absolute crescendo of mud, making all rain coats, umbrella's un-use able until washed and dried (a hard thing to do in the circumstances). We had our final showers and went back to our tent ready to move out the next morning from our recently unbogged car...that is another story. 
While we can not crown it the best holiday ever, the girls have voted to repeat the festival next year come rain or shine. We had an absolute ball.
There is something wonderful about random social connections, a spiritual experience without it being shoved down your throat. Just beautiful.
What a blessed life we lead...
After Woodford, we drove down the coast to meet our good friends Stuart and Theresa with their two kids in Byron Bay. We has rented a beach house right on Belongil, which is slowly being eaten away by the sea. The backyard sits high above the crashing waves at high tide.
It rained a lot so India and Sienna got the hang of playing twister. Three year olds playing twister is something worth watching. Very cute.
We swam and jogged along the beach regardless of weather.We had Stu's (to right with Sienna) birthday night at Rae's, a quite divine restuarant on the famous Wategoes Beach.
And Trinity learnt to surf, standing all the way in to the beach. Here she is in all her glory.
