School Holidays for my family were spent at the Swansea Caravan Park where my parents had a caravan set up all year round.
Doesn't sound all that exotic in this day and age where kids are more likely as not to go to Thailand or Bali on holiday than the East coast of Tasmania. I loved it though, long days lounging around the pool, playing eight ball, Space Invaders and table tennis in the games room and generally getting up to mischief and mayhem with the other kids from around the Apple Isle.
Life at the Caravan Park was full of the good stuff - fishing, swimming, good times with your mates and more laughter than I remember in any period of my life since - and I laugh a lot 🙂
Not surprisingly I still get misty eyed when I think of Swansea and I find myself heading up that way as often as I can. The affinity I have for Swansea however, is not transferable to my kids, as I found out on a recent drive up there.
Setting out mid morning with Miss 12 and Miss 14 safely buckled up, excited to be heading back up the East Coast, everything started well enough. The girls were in good spirits, the sun was shining and the Stones were on the stereo. Happy days 🙂 Somewhere near the Airport the girls lost interest in "Dad Rock" and conversation and out came the headphones, Spotify cranked up on each of their iPhones and just like that Dad was alone. Oh well, still got the Stones I thought, and sang along for the next 25 minutes or so until half way up Bust Me Gall Hill rumblings of discontent began from both girls simultaneously. Mobile reception had dropped out, apparently the most significant peril of modern life for adolescent girls. Music stopped, snap chat stopped, Minecraft stopped, Life stopped.
Suddenly I was copping it from both of them, What's this music? How long before we get there? Why didn't you get Vodafone instead of Telstra? - Amy said she had reception all the way. Why do we have to go to Swansea anyway?
Now I'm a reasonably patient guy but I was copping it both barrels in a co-ordinated attack and I was getting a little hot under the collar. Fortunately just around the next bend an Oasis appeared in the form of the Buckland Road House - FREE WiFi! Couldn't get off the road quick enough!
A calming coffee for me, hot chips for the girls, a quick download of some music the girls could handle if they lost reception again instead of the Dad Rock and we were on the road again all of us much happier.
And Swansea? Can't speak for the girls but as usual I loved it!
As usual there's a segue - Check out the Buckland Roadhouse's web site designed by Resilience below.
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