Kids Science

Who would have thought, when we were off to Collendina for a pool scenario and the weather changes to a crispy southerly that we would end up at an indoor Crazy Chemist show scheduled for the afternoon. It kept them watching for at least 30 minutes which was better than getting cold in the pool. I think the crazy chemist should have been a bit more animated.  We retreated to the van for coffee and snacks and a trivia game which kept us going til the chocolates ran out. We just did the easy topics and I struggled with those. eg name a vegetable starting with B and you have 10 9 8 7 ........ 0 seconds.  

professor summer

way to breezy

Collendina Report No 744

 I used to do updates on the the state of play at Collendima but seeing we don't have a van there any more these reports have mostly disappeared. However I got the inside info from Hostyle the longtime resident who is always in the know from insider sources, such as the gardener.  It is well documented that since the sale of the park the new owners have managed to double the annual fees and it has taken just three years to do it.  Hostyle wanted to know what the latest 22% increase gets them for their money with no apparent change in the park. The answer was a kid friendly zone where the current tennis courts are.  The real bad news is that the increases in fees will continue and the aim is to remove the current three tiered system eg smaller vans paying a lower rate up to the largest vans being the most expensive.  Management want one price only which requires everyone to move to the highest charge no matter what size of van you have. No wonder the park is half empty now.

This is a jug of coffee

Last Egg Delivery

 Yes the last thing kiddies need today is more chocolate but there it is, we had four carry bags of Easter Earnest still to hand out so we drove across to Collendina for a visit.  This time, having our car, we breezed thru the boom gate, although it was mayhem getting out, as it was right on 10:00am exit time. Those 40 or 50 extra caravan sites setup for "vans on wheels"  were very full. Back at the main van it was business as usual, with morning tea and grandie games. There was also an hour at the playground where most of the time was in the sand pit. 

PS. Our postal votes are now in the mail so that has to be a record for getting that chore crossed off.

paper play - no choco

sand scene - no choco

tea cup

Collendina Report No 598

 Yes the Collendina Reports may have to start up again as the Roberts are returning to Collendina and exactly back to the same plot with the same outlook.  Daniel & Bianca have secured the deal with the Taylors so the champagne has been poured.  The van itself is looking a bit tired but the new owners have plenty of ideas about what can be done there.  And this is all happening just as the the whole park is changing hands as well. That seaside outlook is always the thing.

teacups & champagne glasses

Asher's next adventure

 Bianca insisted that Asher gets an afternoon sleep having missed out on one for the last two days. Hooray! which means that the rest of us can get a nap as well.  We got back from the Collendina scouting session which looks positive as there are a few vans available, so much so that they are going back this arvo to view a cabin but in a busy spot. In the meantime we have called into the Ocean Grove adventure park and Asher is getting more confident as she has gone on the tallest slide I have seen her on. There was also some wild flowers on show in the forest next door.

This one has no plumbing

Collendina Update

 Haven't been back there for some time however Mick was a bit rushed in leaving the van last time he was there so we had to go over and fetch some fetchables he left behind, to bring back to Melbourne for him. But seeing we were over there and the temperature was over 30° we decided to trek our way back over the sand dune to the oceanside beach.  The main problem was parking out side the park as our number plate access has been taken away.  The large shade tree just out side the van has been cut down. The groundsmen there were always chipping away at that tree looking for reasons to get rid of it. I don't think there is an original tree left in the place.

No shade here

Umbrella shade here

The Original Van

I went back to my historical box of correspondence to see what else I might share. I found a card that was sent from Sydney after we went up there for a visit to see my old mate Loretta whom we met in Tassie  last century  (circa 1978).  This visit was also last century around 1995. She mentions drought and taking short showers. There was meant to be a photo from Sydney with the card, which I will now have to search for, but instead there were photos of the Collendina van in its original condition before Ross and I started a renovation. On a side note,  I was thinking about the word pandemic. I think we should stop using that and replace it with a phrase like 'just another thing we have to deal with'.  For example  'because of the other thing we have to deal with' the Taylors cannot use the van right now as it has no toilet, as common area toilet/shower blocks are staying shut.

old kitchen

spot the difference

Food Vans

We returned to the Food Van park which is the best kept secret of this little Maui neck of the woods. Last night we tried the Hula Grill as they do not take reservations but were told the wait was an hour and fifteen minutes. This was at 6pm. We squeezed in at the Monkey Pod.  Tonight's was the best meal we have had so far on the trip. We had a half smoked chicken with rice delivered to our table in a bamboo container. It was the best and there is no queue to be served and empty tables as well.

Van Food

Who's getting wet?

Collendina Report

Went back for a visit to the Klyes and also ran into the Carney's.  Paul is looking OK after some heart bypass work.  We had some lunch at the Queenscliff Brewhouse which is a bit pricey but if you like beer tasting then this is the place.  Back at Collendina we did a tour of the changes. The hedge directly across from our van has been replaced by a replanting and don't delay too long there as a wayward magpie is doing the Spring Swoop.  Around near the pool we checked out the new Cafe de Collendina which looks quite good with its aspect looking out towards the pool.

Note Magpie stick

Not open today come back in January

Collendina Report continued

Had a barbecue feed on the new "Behemoth 1000B with internal flood lighting".  An impressive machine while we are still making do with a Webber Q.  I think it will be a summer project to get our barbie situation under control. In the mean time the new van at the back is totally installed and ready to go but there is no-one in it and there are no locks so we let ourselves in for a tour. A small but snug space.

Carnivale comes to Collendina

the barbie has eyes

Final Collendina Report No 9999

First thing to record is that I am sitting on a seat.  The van has been an institution for 18 yar but it too has come to the end of the road.  The third delivery has occurred today and the van has also accumulated much stuff over the 18 yar of its use. This house keeps swallowing everything that is thrown at it but I was surprised at the huge amount we crammed into it, considering the larger items have been sold to the Taylors and will remain behind.
While we were there, trying to quietly load our car and not make it seem like we were moving out, all manner of activity was happening around the corner with yet more new neighbours being craned in.

Van Truckin

Collendina Report No 117

We are leaving the Matador 2000 behind. It has served us well with many lamb back straps being served off it. Sam Kekovich would be proud.  However we have seen the future, The Matador 3200, with its own lighting system and soft closing drawers.  It seems we have new neighbours on both sides of the van. We have not met them and they will be the Taylors new neighbours anyway.

Barbie

Autumn Morning

Collendina Report No 7956

It clouded over today but the temperature was around 30 so we went back over to the exact same spot as yesterday. One advantage of the higher elevation is better phone coverage, although why make calls over at the beach.  We spied the normal ship traffic and a few extra people on the beach but overall a quiet day.  We have been using the Video-Ezy machines which have recently replaced the Hoyts variety.  I was getting freebies from Hoyts!  Anyway it was $2 Tuesday at Video-Ezy so I ordered the BluRay Blade Runner but no matter how we tried it did not play. So I drove back at 8:00pm and swapped it for the non Bluray but I had to pay the $2 again.

beach critter

flying car

Collendina Report No 7955

The earlier scouting trip worked well as we set up a good beach camp out of the wind and on a nice viewing platform of the beach and passing ships.  The temperature was 27 degrees and low tide was at 10:00am.  The trips to the van will be scaled back so we took a visit to a few places we hadn't been to in years like the basketball court which was only a half court the last time I was there 10 yar ago.

Windless

All Net

Collendina Report No 7954

Went on a short reconnaissance to check out dune centred, flattish, sheltered, easterly blocked, platforms but with a southerly view of the beach. Easy.  One of the best of these was already chosen to site a pillbox in the 1940s.  I haven't been there for at least 10 yar and it has deteriorated a lot since then.

pillaged

plovered

Collendina Report No 7953

It is a windy welcome here this time but no rain.  I have spied some preparations for a new van to be dropped in on the empty block  at our rear.  The one next door to it was craned over the top of ours so hopefully they will get a bit closer with the truck this time.  The beach was deserted and blowing hard but the wind has dropped off  now. 

Collendina Report No 5711

I can report that when I left here it was sunny but when I got there it was rainy, then when I got back here it was sunny.  There was no wind. I saw a person in the water so I went in as well and felt warm compared to standing in the rain.  The next door van on the corner has been sold so new neighbours but not sure if we will ever see them.  Some IT gear has been retrieved as the original stuff is buried deep in storage.

old view

Collendina Report No 2858

Hot Day at the Van.  Temperature on the beach today was 38° but we still gave it a go.  We were cooler than the plover man who was setting up an exclusion zone just short of first rock. We saw him going back later in the afternoon with a heap of nesting huts. Hot heavy work.  We spied out some low tide rock pools that might work for a spot of snorkel. Not so much today as some weed was clogging things up.  I used a waterproof camera and when I unloaded just now there were shots from Hamilton Is, from St Malo  and somewhere else I've forgotten!

St Malo bikini

Collendina bikini

Collendina Report No 2857

Reacquainted ourselves with the snorkel masks we got last year. We went over to the North facing EdgeView beach for some snorkelling amongst the pylons. On our second effort we went out much further, so far that we ran into a speargun diver who seemed a tad sus as he was spearing into the wood of one of the pylons. When he saw us he just lit out of there.  We saw some ugly fat fish a bit like puffer fish. The best was the ray that was snuffling in the grit.  All the way I was swimming with a broken fin. The back just ripped out when I was putting it on. These were James when he was in swim squad at least 20 yar ago.  The old yellow pair were just replaced with a set from Body Glove.

Diver Dan's old Shack

Heel trouble

Collendina Report No 2856

There are a few warm days ahead so we have made it to the van for some pre-Christmas beaching before the hordes descend.  The shower block is still unisex so blokes are currently banned from a stand up pee.  We found a hand me down waiting at our front door. This item has fitted in very well. At times the previous one was a tad dangerous especially if you had had a few.  We have also tested out a new beach shelter. This one is an improved model with a bigger area and a back door and lighter as well.

Shelter upgrade

What's new?