Cranky Rock

Long time readers are entitled to groan,"Oh no, not Cranky Rock again".  

As always, it was a spectacular trip.  I could never get sick of looking at the rather unusual scenery. 

The rocks are amazing and I feel so small and young beside them.  Sometimes it's possible to see where a rock has split.   The original shape is still there;  it's just slightly askew from where it was originally.  I can see in my mind's eye how a huge rock was spewed up from the depths of the earth, to land with an ear splitting thump.  A weaker piece at the bottom can't take the violent landing and splits along its fault line.  It slides a little forward of the rest of the boulder and there it stays for hundreds of thousands of years.

Indy had a wonderful time and declared himself to be an explorer.  He loved walking on the swaying suspension bridge and leapt over the rocks like a mountain goat.

Making the bridge sway for Nana

Rachel and Indy After climbing to the observation deck at the top of the hill, we went down to the creek below.  Tom and Indy walked across the creek on a log and Indy eagerly went off for more mountaineering.   In my effort to find the smoothest path, I put one foot in mud and went for a big, sliding fall.  I had to call for help, as I couldn't get up from my seated position.  Intuitively, I told Steve and Rachel that I had "fallen over."  I'm so glad that was the first phrase to come to mind.  I'm not old enough to "have a fall." Indy on the far side. Eventually, we headed back to the picnic area for lunch.  Tom had come so well prepared!!!   Like a magician, he produced various meats to barbecue, tongs, bread, eggs and cheese.  The Cranky Park reserve provides free BBQs, which is a wonderful service and Tom conjured up a delicious lunch.  Indy then decided to do some rock climbing in the opposite direction.  Three peacocks scurried passed him and Rachel and frightened the daylights out of them.   We headed up to the kiosk and passed some caged birds so we stopped for a chat.  The sulphur crested cockatoo was very pleased to have our company and requested a scratch.  He clung to the wire and put his head on one side, so we obligingly scratched, very cautiously at first.   He stretched out his wings and raised his crest for a dance routine, looking so pretty as he bobbed around in the late afternoon sun.    A few drab peahens wandered around and were soon greeted by the peacocks.   Indy kept us entertained on the trip home, with his version of the old fashioned car games.  It was lovely to see my daughter playing the games with her son that I had played with her!! Steve and I were too pooped to go for a swim but the others were eager.   It was a lovely day all round...... made all the more pleasurable by the enthusiasm and excitement of a 6 year old boy. Lunch ~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~