On Monday, Dad and I drove to a bed and breakfast just outside of a little village called Montville which is about 2 1/2 hours from Hervey Bay. Dad really needed some downtime and so I found this perfect little B & B to go to for three days. It was up in the hills in a rainforest kind of setting. Megan and Arthur run the B & B and they have built a beautiful place. We had the guest flat which was one big room with a bed, dining table and kitchenette (with microwave and kettle) and a separate bathroom. The decor was really nice, the bed was so comfortable and the food provided for breakfast was delicious (locally sourced yogurt, blueberries, cereal, bread, mango smoothie, etc.). The flat had folding patio doors which folded out all the way across the room. The flat is very private so we opened up the doors the whole way every morning. It was amazing to see the beautiful scenery from the room. They also had a salt water pool which we enjoyed all three days we were there. Megan and Arthur joined us in the pool the first day and we had a really nice long chat with them - very friendly and very hospitable people.
Dad laying on the bed in our B & B
Looking out the window of our B & B with the folding patio doors open
View from our balcony
Another view from the balcony of our guest flat
Our guest flat
Our guest flat
Me in the salt water pool at the B & B
Kookaburra in the tree outside our B & B
Dad was a bit weary after his full year of work and being a student, so we really didn't do much of anything for those three days. We spent some time just relaxing in the room, some time in the pool, some time geocaching and some time walking the main street of Montville (cute little shops and cafes - expensive to buy things, but nice to look at). We ate a big lunch at a restaurant each day and then had toast and fruit for dinner each evening since we didn't want to go out again in the evenings. Those three days were wonderful and very rejuvenating for Dad.
Rick's Garage where we ate lunch the second day (where the band plays in the evenings)
Walls of Rick's Garage
Dad with his chicken wings for lunch
Me with my hamburger and fries for lunch
View of Rick's Garage from across the street
Christmas store in Montville
View from cafe in Montville
Hanging canvas Christmas scene hanging at a church in Montville
the scenery around Montville
In Montville
Cuckoo clock store sign in Montville
Cuckoo clocks inside the store in Montville
Cuckoo clocks inside the store in Montville
Gardens of a little cafe we sat in in Montville
Iced chocolate made with real Belgian chocolate we had in a little cafe in Montville
After checking out of our B & B, we drove to a little place near Montville called Maleny - it's famous for its milk, yogurt and especially its cheese. We did a geocache there and walked up and down the main street, stopping for 'morning tea' at a little cafe (I had a vanilla slice and Dad had an apple turnover).
Scenery between Montville and Maleny
Love locks on a fence on the way to Maleny (love locks or love padlocks are padlocks which sweethearts lock to a bridge, fence, gate, or similar public fixture to symbolize their love - typically, the sweethearts' names or initials are inscribed on the padlock, and its key is thrown away to symbolize unbreakable love)
Scenery on the way to Maleny
Dad standing in front of where we found a geocache (behind the cow's udder)
On Friday, I spent a lot of the day typing out personal notes to the people who I was sending Christmas newsletter emails to. I decided that rather than send a general letter to everyone, I would write a short personal note in each email and then attach the Christmas newsletter and photos. I thought it was a nice touch to write the emails this way, but it sure took a long time to do it. Dad still wasn't up to doing much and so we ended up not going out for our Christmas barbecue on Christmas Day.
On Saturday, however, Dad was ready and raring to go and so, we carried out our Christmas Day plans on Boxing Day. We started off the morning going geocaching. Dad had found four geocaches along a nature trail and so off we went to find them. We enjoyed the walk, but it was so hot out and by the time we were done with the caches, we were sweating like crazy. So, off we went to the beach for a swim - the water was lovely and we had such a great time in the ocean. After going home and showering and changing, we got our stuff together for dinner and headed back down to the beach again. Dad barbecued some lamb chops which were delicious - it was lovely sitting near the beach eating lamb chops and salad. When we got home, we had some pavlova which we had made the day before. What a yummy Christmas (Boxing Day) dinner!
Our first geocache
The name of the cache is "A prickly situation" - get it? :-)
Our second geocache (it was called 'What a hoot' - get it? :-)
Dad sitting on one of the benches along the trail (this was near the end of geocaching)
Me holding my 'hiking stick' standing beside one of the trailmarker posts placed along the trail
Proof we went swimming on Boxing Day :-)
Dad in the water on Boxing Day
Dad cooking our lamb chops on the barbecue beside the beach
View from the barbecue
Dad's Christmas dinner on Boxing Day
My Christmas dinner
Our Christmas dessert - delicious pavlova
