A day with the kids

My friend Joan asked me to join her in a trip to Mt. Lewis along with her two lovely grandchildren who she was babysitting for the day.  The plan was for Joan to pick me up at 8am and we would make our way to the top of Mt. Lewis where we would have smoko and then back to Pretty Creek for lunch.  Well.....you know the story.....best laid plans.  We got as far as the Ho Chi Min Trail and found the road to the top had been closed.  National Parks and Wildlife close and lock the gate across the road when the wet season starts and usually re-open it after Easter, but as we have not had a wet season to speak of, the gate being shut was a real surprise.  Anyway we made the most of it and walked a short distance past the shut gate before Joan decided that we should walk down to the creek a few metres below the road. What a beautiful spot!  A little babbling brook, gentle falling waterfalls, moss covered rocks, abundant tree ferns and shallow ponds for the kids to splash around in.  It was perfect.  We spent quite a bit of time here enjoying the tranquility before we decided to walk a bit further along the main road.  We have driven this road dozens of times but there is nothing like walking the road.  You get to see the tiny fungi, orchids, colourful bark on trees that you just don't see when driving not matter how slow you drive.  We walked quite a few kilometres before the hunger pains started to jab so we did an about turn back to the car.  For lunch we decided to go back to another little creek where the old tin miners had built a weir across the creek.  It's quite beautiful here and we enjoyed sitting there and eating our lunch.  After lunch and a short walk around the area we headed back to Teacup Falls so the kids could have another swim in the rock pools above the falls.  This is another beautiful spot and after dipping my toes in the lovely cool water I layed myself down on the cool rocks and had a short nap.  The kids were happy to splash around in the cool water while Grandma took plenty of photos.
Mt. Lewis never ceases to surprise and amaze me.  It is one of the most beautiful spots I have ever visited and we are so lucky that it is right on our doorstep.