A possum peed on Pa!!!

We pulled in back at Loch, and found someone had pinched our spot! It seems you do have to book here after all!!

Because we weren’t going to be plugged in to power this week, we needed to find a nice sunny spot (with enough room for a few visitors), so we parked on the other side of the oval next to the cricket nets.

It was a bit weird coming back to Loch. We have been gone for over two weeks now and we have still only travelled about 100kms from Melbourne.  At this rate we may have to go back home before we even leave the state!

The car was booked into the Mechanics for Tuesday and we weren’t sure how long they would need it. Dan’s Mum and Dad didn’t want us to be stuck out here without a car, so they (ever so kindly) dropped Dan’s old work car off for us to use whilst the car was being repaired. It also meant that they had to come back to pick it up, so it was organised that they come back and spend the weekend with us for Will’s birthday.

My Mum and Dad are very keen travellers and are planning on catching up with us throughout this trip, so on Tuesday they arrived to spend a couple of weeks with us. We had only been gone for two weeks and they already missed us - more likely they missed their Grandsons!!

This gave the boys the chance to show Grandma and Grandad around town. It also gave me and Mum some time to go window shopping through all the antique stores in Loch Village.

After the boys finished school on Wednesday, they wanted to take Grandma and Grandad to have a look at the Loch train station. We couldn’t believe our luck when we arrived at the station to find the train stopped there. The South Gippsland Tourist train only runs on Sundays and we had missed it last time we were here. It turned out that they were doing some works further down the line and had stopped at Loch to get some media photos taken. The train driver agreed to let Dad take Sam and Will on to Korumburra Station.

This worked out perfectly because we had to go back to Korumburra to pick up our car. So we dropped Dan off at the mechanics and Mum and I went to pick up Dad and the boys at the Station. They had a great time on the train. They got to ride in the guard’s carriage with the photographers and the workmen.

Thursday after Dan had finished work we all drove up to Mt Worth State Park. It was a beautiful drive with views looking over the whole of South Gippsland. After afternoon tea we went for a walk along The Giants Trail to see the old sawmill. It was a very pretty walk, but we got attacked by leeches (nothing like the scene in ‘Stand by me’, much to Dan’s relief).

We were later than expected so decided to get fish and chips and eat them in Korumburra Botanic Park. We got back to the caravan to find it surrounded by Cricketers training in the nets. I heard a car that sounded like my brothers and then remembered where I was..... only to look up and see him getting out of the car. Chris was heading down to Phillip Island for the weekend and decided to pay us a surprise visit. It was so good to see him and such a nice surprise.

The next morning Mum, Dad, Chris, the boys and I went for a walk along the railway line to Hilda’s Falls. We were told it was only about one kilometre up the track so I decided to take Zac in the baby backpack. It turns out it was about a 5km return trip and I found out just how heavy my not-so-little baby is!

 

According to Will, Saturday was the best birthday he has ever had! After pancakes for breakfast, it was present time. Shelley and Barry arrived mid morning bearing gifts for all the boys.

After an afternoon spent at Coal Creek we went to the Loch Pub for Will’s birthday dinner. Mum and I had called into the pub earlier in the week to book a table. We asked the owner if there was anywhere locally where we could buy a birthday cake. She said “not really, but I could make one for you. I do a great Victorian Sponge Cake.” When we arrived at the pub I was taken out the back with Syb (the owner) and she showed me the beautiful cake she had made for Will. It was covered in bright green icing (his favourite colour), had toy cars on the top, and had the letters “WILL IS 7” written around the edge in chocolate ..........yum!!

 

 

We waddled home from the pub and decided we needed to walk off our massive meals. So we went on a possum hunt, only to have Pa jump out of the bushes and scare not only us, but also all the possums away. The possums got their revenge later in the night, when one of them peed on Pa, much to the Boy’s amusement! (They are still giggling about it)

We said our goodbyes to Shelley and Barry and packed up ready to head to Inverloch in the morning. Mum and Dad have booked a couple of nights at the RACV Resort for Will’s birthday present.

We have all really enjoyed ‘both’ our stays at Loch but are keen to move on and see many more beautiful places. We have told the locals that we will call back in again on our way home.