Jampacked

As the title suggests we crammed ALOT into today. First stop was Questacon, a interactive science exhibit. This place is super cool with so many things to try out and touch, a very hands on place. They even have a vertical slide and a swing that goes upside down !!! A bit scary for me and of course you had to pay extra to do these things. Other cool things to do were to go into a house that simulates an earthquake, watch and learn how lightning works, watch demonstrations on volcanoes.

One of the girls favorite things was a wall that when you take a picture in front of it your shadows will stay on the wall !!

After a full morning of exploring we headed to the lake foreshore and found this cool hill. Up and down both sides so I challenged the girls to roll down it. I don't think it is something that they have really done before and boy did they have fun !!! Ah the simple things in life !!

It doesn't look very steep in this pic but it was massive

Sandy watching from the top of the wall.

After rolling down the hill they decided to run down

 Next stop Old Parliament House. Free tours are conducted throughout the day and one was just about to start as we arrived. Good timing I say !!! The girls got a little bored towards the end but still enjoyed it. I didn't blame them though as we had already had such a big day and the old man did ramble on a little bit !! They were also itching to get back to the dress up room that we spotted mid way through the tour !!

C doing her best Judge impersonation

E looking a little overwhelmed in such a BIG chair

My little queen

One more item on the list of things to do today. A trip to Telstra Tower on Black Mountain. This area had been ravaged by bush fires about 12 months so was great to see how much had grown back. There aren't many pictures of any of us taken out on the deck as it was really windy up there but the views are well worth it.

E's little butterfly friend that wanted to say hello when we arrived.

 At the bottom of the tower is a exhibition of all things telephone as it is called Telstra Tower and Telstra is the main phone operator in the country.

Australia's first mobile phone. Glad technology had evolved !!

Different mobiles over time, glad they have gotten smaller

My first home phone was the same as the second red phone next to the space age one.

 Another jam packed fun filled day in Canberra done and dusted. Another busy day to follow tomorrow.

A.I.S and War Memorial

Day 2 and onto the Australian Institute of Sport and the War Memorial.

None of had ever been to the A.I.S before so something new and exciting. This is where all our athletes come to live and train for the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games. The statues that were outside we once on top of Centre Point Tower when the 2000 Olympics were held in Sydney. Man they are HUGE !!

We booked in for a tour which first took us to an interactive area where there were lots of challenges and fun things to do. We then toured the different facilities where all the training takes place. I didn't take any pics of the actual tour as I was to busy listening to all the interesting information. We toured the gymnastics training center, volleyball courts, the weight lifting area and of course the swimming pool !! (my personal fave!!)

My kids look tiny in comparison !!

Wheelchair Basketball

At the Velodrome on their bikes

Ready, set,go !! How fast is your start ???

Doing some downhill skiing

E enjoying the luge, wind machine and all !!

2 sets of blocks, the front ones can be moved to change to 25m short course.

 

Next stop for the day was the War Memorial. So many great things to look at here to and the kids are now getting to an age where they can start to understand the sacrifices that were made for us to the free and wonderful country that we are. They had a great time checking out all the war medals and the life sized planes.

So many poppies for so many fallen soldiers.

Another great day in Canberra, we only had to pay for the AIS tour as the War Memorial is free to enter, and with our own packed lunch and snacks it was a winning day !!!

Looking Out

After our drive down and a full day of activities we headed to a lookout behind the War Memorial. It is one of our favorite places to visit. As it is behind the War Memorial you get a direct line look straight through from the Memorial, which is in line with Old Parliament which is in line with the New Parliament House !!

Old and New Parliament Houses in line

While up there to watch the sunset we saw lots of animals coming out ready for their nightly feeding. Rabbits, different birds, BIG black crows and some kangaroos. On the drive up there E told us that she saw kangaroos but the rest of us couldn't see them. And as a parent sometimes you just go OK whatever you reckon. Well fool us cause when we were leaving what should we come across ....

Kangaroos coming up the hill !!!

 Funny girl and dead right !! Never will we brush you off again E !!

I also tried to get a little creative with taking photos, not very good at it but I do like then anyway.

I really liked this tree which had rabbits at its base

A great way to end the day by watching the sun set over Black Mountain and Telstra Tower. I really love coming to Canberra, there is so much to do and most if it is FREE !!