Tag 41: Grampians National Park (McKenzie Falls & Balconies)

It was quite cold last night. Samuel woke up in the middle of the night and needed a bottle and his mom to warm his feet.

We're taking it easy today. The sky is clear. We're having a leisurely breakfast outside and then heading to McKenzie Falls. It's busy at the parking lot here too. First, we'll go to the lookout. From here, we have a beautiful view of the falls from above. Then we'll go down many steep steps. The waterfalls are very beautiful. We found a relatively quiet spot (not easy with so many people) and had a little picnic. Maxima is now very mobile (I'm worried about the long flight back) and she's exploring her surroundings with great interest.

Our second destination for the day is the Balconies. A short and easy hiking trail leads to this beautiful viewpoint. From the trail, there are beautiful views of the lakes in the area. On the way back, the kids are in great spirits and laughing loudly at their peek-a-boo games. Our little giggler now has 8 teeth and Dad has renamed her the tooth monster.

On the way back to the campsite, we make a stop in Halls Gap and enjoy some homemade ice cream (3 euros for one scoop).

Unfortunately, there's a nasty surprise at the campsite today. Our camping table and two camping chairs are gone. We found them at our young neighboring campers' site.

We take a detour to the pool. Since it's already 7 PM, we have it all to ourselves and Samuel can jump in as much as he wants. We have wifi at the pool and take care of our online tasks.

Here at the campsite, open fires are allowed, so we bought a fire drum and firewood for tonight. The men take care of a nice fire while I cook. The kids are pretty exhausted and falling asleep is quick tonight. Michi and I enjoy a relatively warm evening under the starry sky by the campfire.

December 3, 2016

Accommodation: Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park

Weather: sunny, 25 degrees Celsius

43 kilometers today, total of 6,862 kilometers