by Jennifer St George
It’s submitted. Yes,
my fifth book has been submitted to Destiny Romance. Hooray!
As usual, by the end
of the editing process I’m exhausted. And more so than usual as I’m also
working as the Communications Manager for the Byron Bay Writers Festival which is
being held in just three weeks.
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| Binna Burra Mountain Lodge |
So, I needed a bit of
well-timed R&R. Fortunately our annual pilgrimage to World Heritage-listed Lamington
National Park (Gold Coast hinterland, QLD) coincided with me hitting send! My
extended family head to Binna Burra Mountain Lodge for a few days each winter holidays
(less snakes and ticks at this time of year).
I love it up in the
mountains as it is cold and clear and I love the smell of the rainforest. So
different from living by the beach. The sunsets up in the mountains are
spectacular.
I managed to convince
my brood to do an 18.5km walk and was very impressed they all made it. It was a long trek for the smaller ones
of our bunch. And for me too as
I’d only run the Gold Coast 10km fun run a few days earlier.
We walked through lots
of different microclimates on our adventure and crossed a riverbed five or six
times. As the track was newly opened after being washed away, there were times
when it was hard to determine where the track was which added a little
excitement to the enterprise.
I’ve been coming to
Binna Burra since I was six years old.
This is a photo of my brother and me.
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We have the same photo of us when
we were kids aged six and eight, sitting on the same rock in the middle of the
bush.
When we drove back
down the mountain, I loved hearing my son say, ‘I’m going to come here every
year of my life and bring my kids here too.’ Very satisfying as there was not one computer screen, iPod
or other electronic gadget in his hand for the whole holiday.
So, that’s our annual
St George family tradition. Would
love to hear about one of your family traditions.
Jen, did I just hear you say 10km fun run? You are aware that's an oxymoron, right? There is no such thing as a RUN that is FUN.
ReplyDeleteBut back to the subject in hand… ;-) Your family time away sounds as if it were divine! I've never explored that neck of the woods, but it looks truly lovely…and while I might not run I'd have gone on that hike with you (as long as we'd packed the chocolate).
P.S. Fab price for your Billionaire by the way!
There was lots of chocolate on the hike, Michelle. Love you to come along next time.
DeleteJen, I'm with Michelle on the "fun" run oxymoron thing! LOL! Though I do take my hat off to you for doing it! Well done!
ReplyDeleteYour family break at Binna Burra Lodge sounds gorgeous. What a wonderful tradition and how special to hear your son say he's going to carry the tradition on with his children!
Hey, I'm with Michelle on that great price for you book, too!
I have to admit not feeling very 'fun' during a lot of my runs, Sharon!
DeleteBinna Burra is so gorgeous.
It is gorgeous up there, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteFunny about running. Used to run when I was young but didn't then for over twenty years...now I'm back and it's great!
Jennifer
ReplyDeleteYour family holiday sounds wonderful when I was a kid growing up my grandparents had a hobby farm on the Central Coast of NSW and every holiday there was we went there and had the best time and when our kids were young we would go down south to Sussex Inlet every Christmas school holidays and swam and fished and had the best time we don't seem to go on holidays like that anymore but I would love to go with my kids and grandkids now it would be awesome
Have Fun
Helen
That would be awesome, Helen! I have such lovely memories of childhood Xmas holidays.
DeleteI'm envious of your family tradition, Jenn. It sounds gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have an annual tradition like that, but we do have a weekly Sunday roast dinner that everyone comes over for. I suggested discontinuing it now that the 'kids' are off doing their own things, but was shouted down. It looks like it's a tradition that's here to stay.
That's sounds like a wonderful tradition, Claire. Do you do all the cooking?!? If so, you are a saint.
DeleteSounds like a fabulous place to take a break. What was the fun run in support of?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that the National Park doesn't even remotely resemble the yummy cake like lamingtons.
Is your latest book available on Kobo?
The race was in support of Cancer Council Queensland, Lyn. I didn't see one Lamington while I was up there. I should let them know it is essential to have them.
DeleteYes, Billionaire is available at: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-billionaire-s-pursuit-of-love
Oh, Jennifer, what a gorgeous looking place. I'd love to spend time there. We don't have a have to do tradition but more often than not family get together at our house in the Sounds where swimming, fishing, and exploring bush covered hills are the main things on the daily program.
ReplyDeleteWow, Sue, that sounds so lovely. Fishing? What do you catch?
DeleteJennifer, what a terrific family tradition. My family went to Binna Burra too, though not every year as we lived so far away. Isn't the Lamington NP a great place to visit? So soothing and invigorating and wonderful. A recent tradition of ours is to take the kids away for a mid winter break between 2 family birthdays to the same spot in the Hunter Valley for some time together and big breakfasts!
ReplyDeleteLamington NP is so lovely, Annie.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to the Hunter Valley. That sounds like a lovely family holiday. I must try to get down there one day.