My title looks grand ya? Hur Hur Hur.

Well the prelude to this grand plan was actually to wrangle a date for the trip! Believe me! It’s harder than climbing Mt Everest! But, I did it! Through cajoling, blackmailing, threatening, you name it, I’ve done it.  Great! So now the date is finally fixed!! 22-29 Oct 2011!

My usual style is to reserve the air tickets, book the car and well, just WHACK! I love the adventure and uncertainty of it all!! However, the idea of sleeping in the car with a 2 year-old toddler (because of lack of accomodation) simply doesn’t appeal to me. So I just have to book ahead! That’s so unlike me, but travelling with a toddler is already quite an adventure because there will be a lot of unexpected surprises…

Anyway, I want it to be a relaxing trip and not having to worry about changing hotel rooms every night and also, a very interesting trip for Y(who else, but my 2 year old precious girl).  Therefore a stay on the farm, it shall be!

I had stayed on a farm when I was a mere slip of a girl on one of the trips with my parents.  It was at New Zealand.  I loved it! And for city kids like moi, and many others, a farm is amazing!! I once stayed at my ancestral village in China and my cousins (many times removed) was amused by my brother and I, scrutinising the fields and animals in close distance.  My mum remarked to them,”Sorry ah! City kids! Have never seen animals outside the zoo! *Mountain Tortoise!” (Gah! That was embarrassing!)  Therefore, a farm stay should appeal greatly to her.  Besides, we get to pick eggs!! I have never picked eggs before! Yay!! The simple joys of life!

I have been to Western Australia twice (yes, the book air ticket and car and just whack kind of trips).  I love the Margaret River area! After surfing a few sites, I have settled on a farm in Pemberton. Pump Hill Farm Cottages. There were raving reviews about this place! I hope I will be able to write a WOW review about it when I’m back! It makes a great base to explore the beautiful karri tree woods of Pemberton.

Think of – mudbrick cottages, cosy log fires, in the woods, hay rides, pick the eggs (i personally think this is a highlight for me. hehe), feed all the animals, beautiful twinkling stars in the pitch black sky (i still remember very vividly the trip I made with Sharon.  We stayed in a log cabin and when we sat at the porch, over our heads were millions and millions of sparkling stars!) Sigh.. paradise…

That will take up 5 days of the trip.  The rest of the trip, we will be staying at Chandler Smiths Beach Villas. I can write a raving review about this now! Sharon and I stumbled across this beautiful place on our 1st trip to Western Australia, a few years back.  We were planning to stay just for the night and we ended up extending one more night and had to drive like a Grand Prix driver back to Perth Airport to catch our flight home.  Indulgence!

We came across it very late at night and it was absolutely pitch black.  We kind of liked the shape of the chalet and booked it as we were too tired to continue our search.  The next morning when we woke up, we had a pleasant surprise!! Lying on the bed, we could see the magnificant sea waves rolling onto the pristine white beach! Our living room was actually facing the grand ocean! And we didn’t know about it when we moved in the night before. You can just sit in the living room and watch the waves all day! After that, many people have stayed at this place through my recommendation.  During this trip, I will take some beautiful photos and post them here!

Places that I’m going to visit :

Freemantle – we are arriving on Saturday morning! A great day to while the morning away at the market!

Pemberton area – 5 days of farmstay! Exploring the awesome treetop walk.  I don’t think I will have the chance to climb the famous Gloucester Tree again.  Not with a toddler.  The last time we didn’t have the chance to do it because it was raining. Seems like I need to make another trip just to climb the humongous tree! Maybe some caving? We did some caving during our last trip in the non commercialised caves.  We were just given miner’s helmet with light and a map! It was really an experience.  But I’m not sure if it’s suitable for a toddler, well, we shall see if she’s brave enough to venture in.

Margaret River area – drive around and NUA! (meaning doing nothing and relaxing!)

So stay tuned for the upcoming trip! I hope I have access to the internet while I’m there!

*Mountain Tortoise = People who have not travelled out of the mountains, ignoramus! (>.<)