I seem to recall that I had a lot to say when I left last time but I don't seem to remember what it was. I thought I would just start typing and hope it comes back to me.
So far, not so much.
But we press forward.
I am thinking of going to a new place today. Some kind of park where they have mazes and stuff. I am not sure it is worth the price so I am still deciding. $45 for the four of us. Kind of steep if all they have is a couple of hedge mazes to walk through. Plus, they charge you extra for a picnic lunch. I think you can bring your own but it does not really say. The other thing, it is really close, about 5 minutes away. So how good could it be since we have never heard of it. It is new, but you would have thought we would have heard something if it was that great. Might just be better to go to the new park, which is an hour away.
I have mentioned the new parks before. There is one about an hour south of here. It is big, has a lot of different things to do and is close to shops and the ocean. It gets crowded so the kids have to wait in line to do anything and there really is not that much to do. I long flying fox that the kids like. I climbing spider, rope thing that is really tall. Lots of things to climb on and run under. They have a merri-go-round type thing but it is people powered and every time we go, it seems it is broken and very hard to push. Takes an adult to do it and it has no momentum when you let go. Just kind of stops turning when you stop pushing, so it wears you out very quickly pushing the kids around.
There is a tire swing that sort of hangs from a few chains and you sit on while it spins around. It always has kids on it so waiting for your turn is a problem as the kids do not tend to get off. And, even when you get on it, it does not seem like a lot of fun.
It is a good park and might have been the best around if the new one that opened about an hour north of here had not recently opened.
This park is amazing and it is still being built. They have about half of it done now and what they have is great. When they finish, it will be about twice the size with kiosks and trails and picnic areas all around. It is on Lake Macquarie, although not that close to the water. You can see the lake from there but with the park and all there is to do, we have never walked down to the see what might be at the waterside.
This park is not close to anything. Have to get in the car if you need to see some shops or get anything. It is next to a lot of athletic fields and a big public swimming pool. I think I remember seeing them building it but we do not go that way very often, maybe once every couple of months, so I am not sure if we saw it being built of not. It is not near the main road so you have to look for it when you drive past.
This park starts with a small kids area. Lots of things to climb on and a couple of swings and there are some other stuff on the right that I have never been to so I am not sure what is over there. As they are still building things, there seems to be something new every time we go there.
The next thing you come to is a big wooden pirate ship type thing that has walking paths and different things to do on it. It is surrounded by little things to climb on and sit on and spin around on. Next to is a water area where they have fountains and water canons and some kind of well that the kids pump water into. We do not let the kids go in that area, it has been too cold, but it looks like it will be fun when the weather warms up.
These things you go past when you enter but the park is dominated by a really tall tower that will eventually be in the center of a huge soft, squishy, play area. I say soft and squishy because you know about the soft flooring stuff they put on the ground in kids parks these days. This park not only has that but seems to have some soft bouncy under pinning beneath the surface that makes it really bouncy. I am sure after use it will get less bouncy but now, it is kind of hard to walk on it.
The tower is huge, for a kids park. It is about 10 to 15 meters high. It is a big enclosed area all the way up, about 3 meters by three meters on one side and a little bit more on the other. The bigger side has climbing ropes and rope ladders in it that the kids can enter by going through a rope bridge. The whole thing is enclosed in rope mesh, so no one can fall out. Not sure who checks the integrity of the mesh but it would seem someone would have to do that periodically. So far, it looks good.
The other side is metal and has metal ladders going around and around in it. Not really around and around but there are several three or four rung ladders on each side that you climb up to get to the top. You climb up one, then go to the other side and climb up the next one. You do all this climbing to get to a little waiting area at the top. You can get to the waiting area from the rope ladder side as well.
The reason you climb all this way is to get to the slide. At the top, say ten meters high, I am not sure how high it really is, could only be about 5 or six meters but it looks really high, there is the entrance to a long spiraling, completely enclosed slide. It spirals down in about 4 loops and has to be the most popular free ride in Australia. It is not that the lines are that long, maybe a ten to fifteen minute wait each time but it is constantly in use, as you can imagine. Kids, adults, animals, everything you can imagine is constantly going down this slide. Kids of all ages. I think I have seen two year olds coming out the end of that thing. I have no idea how they climb all the way to the top and then slide down, but there they are, sliding out of the opening laughing and giggling the whole time. I don't think I have seen any crying kids at anytime we have been there.
William was the first one to try it. He made the mistake of going up the rope part first, it takes about twice as long that way, but he never hesitated. He was at the top in about five minutes and was sliding down as soon as he got there. He absolutely loved it. He came out and said that was the best thing ever. The first time we were there, he must have rode it four or five times in the hour we were there. I am sure he would have gone more but he had to sneak over to the water park and he got in trouble for that so had to spend some time next to us and not playing.
Maeghan has yet to try it. We have had the grandkids with us the two times we have been to the park and they were all scared to go until they say William do it a couple of times. Jarvis has been afraid to go on it also, so he has never been. Both Maeghan and Jarvis have climbed almost to the top but have decided not to go each time. Maeghan wants me to go with her, but I am afraid I would get stuck in the tunnel and I am claustrophobic, or that is the excuse I give. Did I mention it is very tall.
Well, this thing dominates the park, but there is lots more. Next to the tower are two flying foxes. They are not as good as the one at the other park but they seem to have longer lines. There is also a huge bike area a little further down from this. Lots of kids on bikes, skateboards, and just running in this area. Little roads and paths and things for them to ride around on. There are also a few swings in this area and a huge tire swing thing like the one at the other park. It is about twice the size and you climb on it and swing around with about eight or nine other kids. Looks like fun but it does not seem to get used that often.
The rest of the park, or scattered through the park, are picnic areas, paths, and even a couple of BBQs but I am not so sure about having hot BBQs with all those kids around. It looks like they might be putting up fences to separate the two of them but they are not there yet.
In other parts of the park, you can see where they are going to build mazes, and more swing areas and it looks like something that will have water in it. No idea when these will be finished but when it is, I would say the whole park will cover at least three of four acres. You can see the plans for it on some signs but I think they have already deviated from those plans as they do not match what is actually there.
I have no idea how they are going to keep this area free to the public or how they are going to maintain it over the long run. And the first time someone falls or is hurt on that big tower, I am sure they will have to make changes. But for now, it would seem to be the best free kids park I have ever seen. There are some good ones in Queensland but I think this one tops them all.
Well, I guess I have to get going now. Did I say anything? Not really sure other than the description of the park. Should have included more about the kids and what they think of it but Maeghan wants me to fix breakfast for her, so I have to get going. And this entry is fairly long so it should tide you over until I get around to doing another.
Guess I will be going now. Until next time.
Talk to you later
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