I visited Adelaide last weekend for a quick visit. I haven’t been back since Christmas time and I was craving to see my friends and family. I wanted to travel before I was too big with baby (you need a medical certificate to travel at 29 weeks) and, although I plan to return to Adelaide when our newest arrival is still a newborn, I’m not sure when I will be going back again.

I had a wonderful time with Elora in Adelaide. The weather was beautiful – warm sunny spring days. Saturday was very hot at 33 degrees and I sweltered a bit, but it was manageable. Oh, gosh I miss some decent weather. The cool days here in Tasmania are getting so boring!

Travelling to Adelaide is getting harder and more expensive. There are no direct flights anymore, so it can take a day or an afternoon of travelling. Fares have doubled in cost as well! Nevertheless, I do like to visit twice a year or so, if I can.

I loved catching up with friends.

Amanda and me

It’s so good to spend time with friends I’ve known for so long, like Brooke (23 years) and Amanda (10 years). Despite not seeing each other that often, when we get together it’s like we saw each other yesterday. I feel awful that I moved away from my friends.

One of the highlights was seeing my Adelaide nieces and nephews. I’m blessed with a big family on both sides, and altogether, I have 3 nephews and 5 nieces. I got to see 3 of my nieces and 2 of my nephews, including Felix, who I met for the first time. Henry, Amanda’s little boy, is a surrogate nephew of mine and I got to cuddle him and spend time with him too. I love those children. I embraced each one, kissed each one, laughed with each of them and told them how much I adore them. I sang and patted my youngest niece, Isla, to sleep. I talked to each of them, saying that next time I see them they will be bigger, and that their cousins love them, and that their parents will bring them to Tasmania for a holiday on the farm one day.

Oh, emotional, sentimental me. I love children. Especially the ones in our huge family. I just really really do. And if those children only know one thing about me, I hope it is that I adore them so very much!

Look how beautiful they are:

Isla, Ayrton, Elora, Allegra, Arabella

Henry

Felix and Elora

Trust me: I took many more photos of the kids! One of my favourite mornings was Sunday, after Isla and Ayrton had slept over at mum and dad’s, and Elora wanted to wear clothes matching Isla, so the two little girls were running about in pink shorts and yellow t-shirts. So adorable! Elora had a ride in the pram with her baby cousin Felix. She hasn’t been in a pram much in her life and she enjoyed it!

I loved spending time with my parents. I miss them so much. I stayed up very late each night, just chatting with mum long after dad had fallen asleep in front of the tv. It was so good.

Of course, Elora loved seeing her grandparents. We spent a lovely day with Monte’s parents. I met Maxine’s swimming friends and we visited auntie Marie before a lovely lunch with Maxine and Gordon, which stretched into early evening, with lots of chatting. It was lovely!

grandma’s roses are gorgeous!

Elora loved living at nanny and gramps’ house for a few days. She didn’t want to leave. It’s always harder to say goodbye when the children are upset.

So many good memories. So much laughter. I always leave Adelaide with a lot of sadness because I miss the people there. It is a big sacrifice to pay to have the lifestyle we have here today.