three sunny days in Port Macquarie with all my girls and we found the place a bit of a revelation, with lots of great beaches, walks, plenty of space, a great eco-friendly hotel (The Observatory, which recently gained second place in the environmental category of the New South Wales tourism awards) and would you believe it, a "world-class" restaurant - The Stunned Mullet, where we ate on Saturday night.
By the way it was my partner Sarah who turned to me during dinner at the Stunned Mullet and said "this is world-class", hence the speech marks around the description. Wouldn't like to take credit for something I didn't come up with, oh no no no. But I do agree and I can see that a huge amount of work has gone into the creation of this little gem and the credit for that goes to Canadian co-owner Lou Perri, his Aussie wife Angela and the other co-owner and executive chef David Henry.
So now we're home and I am facing the usual post-trip blues. I know, I know, you're not going to feel sorry for a blinking travel writer but this is the story of my life. I go away, invariably have a fantastic time and then have to justify it by working hard at writing stories. It's like the opposite of a rewards system, I get the treats before I do the graft. If I were a dog I'd be very disobedient.
Don't get me wrong, I love writing about travel but I don't always find it easy - the better the time I have the harder it is to sometimes sum it up and do justice to the experience. Plus we now have a few weeks of domesticity to look forward to - which my inflated waistline is looking forward to but my joie de vivre is not.
My girls (Mila, 2 and Freya, 8 months) were mostly a joy on this break. Freya is a little celeb, always smiling and flirting with anybody who even randomly looks in her direction. It's funny how some kids are just born this way and obviously it's got nothing to do with me. Mila has always been a little more cautious but when she comes out of her shell (usually takes her ten to fifteen minutes with new people) she bursts out of it like Liza Minelli on speed. She had great fun with my friends Sonia and Grey Fingleton's two teenage daughters - Bernadette and Kate - on Sunday night. I hope my two grow up to be as lovely as those two when they reach the dreaded teenage stage. As a Dad to two girls it's probably the part of their childhood I am dreading most, when boys (like I used to be like) start hanging around them like mozzies around ripe ankles and we'll need a vice to get them away from whatever electronic gadget will be most prominent in twelve/thirteen years time.
Like I say the babes were so good but I have to say that eating out on two or three occasions was stressful as well as enjoyable. Mila invariably decides she needs to go to the loo (we're very proud at how well toilet-trained she is - sorry if you're not a parent but these things are the stuff of pride these days) just as every course arrives. There's usually something spilt and when Freya is in your arms she is always reaching for the nearest available plate, knife, place mat, priceless candlestick.
They ought to issue an extra set of limbs to parents of young kids, it would really help to be an octopus when you go out to dinner.
On that note and with the babes having afternoon naps I better go and do some justifying, I mean work.
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