Happy happy Monday, friends!
Andrew and I arrived back home yesterday from a really great weekend in NYC and are back into the swing of things. I hope you had a wonderful weekend too!
Today is another Australian vacation recap 🙂 .
As a reminder, so far, we’ve covered: PART ONE (Arrival, Sydney, Bondi) and then PART TWO (Manly Beach) and then PART THREE (The Blue Mountains, Koalas & Kangaroos!) and finally, PART FOUR (Off to Cairns!).
Today is PART FIVE!
We decided to “chill-ax” as Ashby and Madeley say on these next two days (so today’s post is pretty short and sweet and covers two different days).
On this day, we left Palm Cove and drove about an hour to the CUTEST Australian town of Port Douglas. Listen, I want to visit this part of Australia again just to have more time in this town. It was oh so cute!
Here are a few pics…
After checking out town, we headed to their protected ocean area for some sun, sand and sea…
…do you see the white barriers around this part? It’s to keep the crocodiles {hopefully} out.
The water was warm and perfect for swimming. We had such a great time just “chill-axing”.
This was really just a nice, easy day. It felt like summer 🙂 .
We headed back to Palm Cove, cleaned up and walked over to…
…Vivo for dinner.
The next day, the kiddos wanted a “resort day”, so we slept in and hung by the pool…
…now this is the only kind of crocodile I want to see in the water.
This was just an easy vacation day that included French fries as a “pre-lunch” snack.
We pulled on our coverups and walked…
…into town for lunch. See all my peeps?
Palm Cove is oh so cute and made it really easy to hop from hotel into town…
…we stopped for ice cream on our way back to the resort.
Later that night…
…we walked back over and enjoyed dinner here.
It was delish!
So, those are our two beach bum kind of days. We tried to have a mix of “go” and “relax” on this trip which everyone seemed to enjoy. Next up…we head to the Great Barrier Reef 🙂 .
Now, don’t forget, if you want to visit Australia too, we want to send you! Contact my travel agency today for more info on an Australian vacation or to any of our other destinations around the world. We would be so honored to send you too!
I also wanted to point out this ironic note (especially with all the croc/spider/jellyfish talk from these last two recaps AND before I share our experience at the Reef). I know a lot of you have commented that you’re nervous about bugs and spiders and such in Australia because let’s be clear, they have them there. Well, I personally can’t be too hard on beautiful Australia because ask me how I spent my Christmas Eve morning…in the ER because of a spider bite that I got in McKinney, TX. Spiders aren’t just in Australia. Sigh. I just wanted to point out the irony and remind you that bugs are everywhere (apparently even at my house!).
Happy Monday, friends! I’ll see you tomorrow! xx
Elspeth says
I love a vacation that has a mix of on the go and relaxing! The best blend!
Can’t wait for more recaps!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Patty says
Some of your pics of Palm Cove reminded me so much of the walkway in Wailea in Maui. Beautiful! And I, too, have ended up in the ER with a spider bite while visiting Michigan, so I hear ya. Have LOVED my visits to Australia despite said bugs.
Mix and Match Mama says
YES!! I could not agree more!!
SS says
Ugh Shay…spider bite before the trip!! For me, they say I am only locally allergic to stinging bugs…meaning I just swell up in that location!!! So our kids call me an old lady with a pill box that I take my “take this if stung pill” everywhere with me.
Pix are beautiful!!!
Erika Slaughter says
What a charming little beach town! It looks lovely!
Cindi says
Okay, Shay, I know you want this post to be a happy spot, but I need more on the spider bite!! Where? How? Why the ER? And on Christmas Eve, no less! Bless. Details, please! 🤗
Mix and Match Mama says
It was on my leg and super painful, but it looked like it could have been a blood clot (something we think about a lot at our house and know all the warning signs), so since it had those characteristics and I was a day away from a 17 hour flight, I went to see. It was gross and thankfully only a spider bite (or some sort of insect). I was thankful they treated it.
Cindi says
Oh, wow, a blood clot is a scary situation-my husband had one after a long flight-you were wise to rule that out! Thanks for sharing and thankful it wasn’t a blood clot! 🙌🏻
Mary says
Oh my goodness! I always worry about those things also but why do you have to worry about blood clots in family? Glad it turned out good!!
Mix and Match Mama says
With Ashby, we have to worry about her blood clots. She doesn’t develop clots the same way we typically do, but she does develop them as a part of living with KTS, so we are hyperaware of the symptoms at our house.
Sheaffer says
WHAT IN THE WORLD? A spider bite? I had no idea!!!!!!
Stephanie P says
I’ve heard the Whitsunday islands are supposed to be epic. Can you give reasons for not choosing it and why Port Douglas instead? Like pros and cons? Thanks!
Mix and Match Mama says
There are so many different spots/islands in that part of Australia. We picked flying into Carins because it was centrally located between both Palm Cove and Port Douglas (so we were able to explore three cities in our four days). In the next post, I’ll share our day snorkeling out in the reef which was off Port Douglas as well. Our decision was based on length of stay and accessibility. My biggest takeaway from this trip is that next time, I need a month to see more of Australia.
Stephanie Snyder says
I was wondering about the bugs/spiders in Australia also! My parents traveled there a few times and my mom told me about these massive hissing spiders that would stand on their back legs and wave their front legs in the air! But in Central Ca where I live we also have our fair share of venomous and poisonous creepy crawlies from rattlesnakes, scorpions, black widows and brown recluse!
What bit you?!?! My son was stung by a scorpion in our kitchen and it was terrifying but thankfully the pain eased and that was the end of it.
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh gosh, bugs and insects don’t typically bother me, but we did see a few larger ones on our trip. I don’t know what bit me exactly but it sure hurt.
Kacey says
Ahhh Vivo -so so yummy!
Megan Perkins says
Eeks! Australia looks (and sounds marvelous)! Can’t wait to hear about the reef!! But if you’re brave enough, I’d be curious to know more about the spider bite. I live in a desert area where they’re plentiful, and getting bit (in my home) may be at the top of my *worst nightmare* experience list. What kind of spider was it (or at least, was it poisonous? Pain level? Treatment? Suggestion for pest control. I totally understand if it’s too personal but would love to hear that you’re on the mend, it wasn’t the end of the world, maybe it wasn’t the most painful/terrifying experience of your life.
Anyways, I’m so sorry to hear you experienced that. Hopefully it wasn’t horrible, you recovered quickly and never experience it again.
Onward to the reef!!
Mix and Match Mama says
I don’t know all the details because it could have been a different insect, but the doctor and nurse said it very much appeared to be a spider in their opinion. Swelling, a bulge formed, severe pain around said bulge and it was warm to the touch and red in color. Once it was “handled” (gross details I’ll omit), it was sore and red for about a week to 10 days, but I had meds for it which reduced pain/swelling and kept infection away.
E. Rabke says
We are headed to NZ and Australia in about a month as our daughter leaves in two weeks to study abroad over there!!!!!!! I can’t wait (though I’m NOT looking forward to the flight!!!). And we will be staying in Port Douglas a few nights while there! I have been taking notes as so many of the things you did and places you visited we are going to as well. Your trip was perfect timing for us!!!! Keep the recaps coming! Thank you!!!
Mix and Match Mama says
You are going to LOVE Port Douglas! It is oh so cute!
Rachel Kazmier says
Loved this series! We just booked a riverboat for next Thanksgiving on the Danube to hit up the history and CHRISTMAS MARKETS! I turn 50 in September so there are 8 of us going along to celebrate! Have you done the Christmas markets yet? Perhaps next year??!?!?!