General News about Frederik, Mary and Family Part 14: September 2015 - December 2015

[MidwestMom]

Maybe this trip is Frederik's Christmas gift to Mary: a nice, quiet, and private vacation in her homeland. And a family reunion of more than just a few days. Hope they continue to be left alone.

[Muhler]

A really family-friendly area then? Good. And no doubt a good way to recover from jet-lag.
By now I'm pretty sure others will have noticed them as well, but kept quiet about.

How "touristed" is that part of Australia?
Is it an area visited much by people from the east coast? Or foreign tourists?
Or will you stick out if you suddenly switch to "foreign" at the local gas station?
Also, are there local peculiarities? The Tasmanians are singled out (mostly by other Australians ) for being somewhat singular. Akin to the Cornish in England. Is that also the case here?

Supposing they will continue along the south coast to Adelaide. How long will that take by car with four children in tow?
Or would a train ride be a good alternative?

Once in Adelaide what are must-see there if you are a little family?

Are there ferries from Adelaide to Tasmania? That would be one way to sneak into Hobart under the radar.

[polyesco]

Originally Posted by mitchell

thing to do with kids in Esperance For Kids - Esperance Accommodation, Esperance Visitor Centre, Esperance Western Australia, Esperance Tourism, Accommodation, Tours, Events, Activities, Hire, Car Hire, Businesses

Thank you for sharing. Looks fantastic.
Im sure the family will have fun.
this is the first trip to Australia that has been this long, Im sure its something they have been planning and wishing to do for awhile now.

[CrownPrincessJava]

Originally Posted by Muhler

A really family-friendly area then? Good. And no doubt a good way to recover from jet-lag.
By now I'm pretty sure others will have noticed them as well, but kept quiet about.

How "touristed" is that part of Australia?
Is it an area visited much by people from the east coast? Or foreign tourists?
Or will you stick out if you suddenly switch to "foreign" at the local gas station?
Also, are there local peculiarities? The Tasmanians are singled out (mostly by other Australians ) for being somewhat singular. Akin to the Cornish in England. Is that also the case here?

Supposing they will continue along the south coast to Adelaide. How long will that take by car with four children in tow?
Or would a train ride be a good alternative?

Once in Adelaide what are must-see there if you are a little family?

Are there ferries from Adelaide to Tasmania? That would be one way to sneak into Hobart under the radar.

There are no ferries or direct flights from Adelaide to Hobart. If they are driving to Adelaide, they could stop in Pt Lincoln, and drive via the coast into Adelaide.

We have beautiful coastlines, beaches and of course, wine regions in South Australia. They will also enjoy a burst of hot summer weather this week too!

[Sun Lion]

Originally Posted by Muhler

A really family-friendly area then? Good. And no doubt a good way to recover from jet-lag.
By now I'm pretty sure others will have noticed them as well, but kept quiet about.

How "touristed" is that part of Australia?
Is it an area visited much by people from the east coast? Or foreign tourists?
Or will you stick out if you suddenly switch to "foreign" at the local gas station?
Also, are there local peculiarities? The Tasmanians are singled out (mostly by other Australians ) for being somewhat singular. Akin to the Cornish in England. Is that also the case here?

Supposing they will continue along the south coast to Adelaide. How long will that take by car with four children in tow?
Or would a train ride be a good alternative?

Once in Adelaide what are must-see there if you are a little family?

Are there ferries from Adelaide to Tasmania? That would be one way to sneak into Hobart under the radar.

The two "Spirit of Tasmania" ships sail between Devonport and Melbourne daily Muhler.

The day crossing is cheaper as you act as you would on a cruise ship and just mooch the day away, while the overnight journey means either getting a cabin, or what is like an airline chair in a secured area to sleep in.

There are cafes, shops, info burea where you can get your fishing licence sorted, a higher-end resturant, bars, games areas and a cinema onboard.

The fares for both people and vehicles are subsidised by the Federal Government as the crossing of Bass Strait is considered to be part of the national highway system they are responsible for.

(I'm sailing on tomorrow night's crossing, so if I spot CP Mary getting into Tassie that way I'll be straight on "The Royal Forums"! )

Here are some things the young Royal children may be exposed to in outback/country Australia, whether they are still in Esperance or indeed travelling about.

Wherever you drive you will come across road signs with a kangaroo or wombat or koala on it. I went through kangaroo and wombat country today driving down towards Melbourne. Tomorrow I will pass through koala territory when I go through Victoria.

These are meant to help save animal's lives, but there is always a lot of roadkill on the roads - dead wallabies, goannas and sometimes snakes also.

A lot of people drive through the night and it is unavoidable hitting some poor creature - plus a danger to youself and damage to your car.

Mum and Dad may have had to explain what all the dead animals are doing lying on the roads. (But maybe you get that with deer in Denmark?)

Our highway system is very civilised now with rest stops and most times with toilets along the track.

The toilets sometimes have a water tank along side to collect rainwater so the toilet can flush - but in drier areas there isn't enough rainfall to bother with this, so these are composting toilets. I think you can imagine. And I'm thinking they are not common in Denmark.

No use saying you'll go behind a bush - some place don't have that much vegetation - so hold your breath, be quick and put the lid back down to help not draw the blow-flys.

As we get closer to Christmas more cars are being decorated. People put "reindeer antlers" on the back windows either side and a red nose on the grill and go about their business looking like that.

We have a lot of native birds everywhere - both city and country. They squawk and screech, not sing, but they are full of character and are very colourful.

Today I saw sulphur-crested cockatoos, grey and hot pink galahs and green and blue parrots.

There are many types of parrots everywhere and they can put on a show - especially the cockatoos and lorikeets.

In some places the kookaburras will dive down on your picnic sandwich.

I don't think most Aussies would go to Esperance - they already have the same thing in their own area.

Sadly three German backpackers were killed there in a bushfire just a couple of weeks before CP Mary and family arrived.

[Soula]

Originally Posted by Muhler

A really family-friendly area then? Good. And no doubt a good way to recover from jet-lag.
By now I'm pretty sure others will have noticed them as well, but kept quiet about.

How "touristed" is that part of Australia?
Is it an area visited much by people from the east coast? Or foreign tourists?
Or will you stick out if you suddenly switch to "foreign" at the local gas station?
Also, are there local peculiarities? The Tasmanians are singled out (mostly by other Australians ) for being somewhat singular. Akin to the Cornish in England. Is that also the case here?

Supposing they will continue along the south coast to Adelaide. How long will that take by car with four children in tow?
Or would a train ride be a good alternative?

Once in Adelaide what are must-see there if you are a little family?

Are there ferries from Adelaide to Tasmania? That would be one way to sneak into Hobart under the radar.

How 'touristed' is that part of Australia? Australia is a modern vibrant country, no-one sticks out at a petrol station!

As for Adelaide, where do I start? It's a beautiful cultured city that has some of the finest dining in the country and heavenly cafes and beaches. It's also one of the most beautiful and well planned cities in Australia.

Google Womad, Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe for some of the world class arts events; Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale for the better known wine growing areas (but our local hills abound with boutique wineries).

We are spoilt for choice so they will find plenty to do....... although the temperature has been 37C here today.....

[Muhler]

Thank you, CrownPrincessJava, Sun Lion & Soula.

So plenty of experiences for the family.
I think the twins are still too young to really appreciate Australia, even though I'm sure they thoroughly enjoy the family-time together. But for Christian and Bella it must be a fantastic experience. For Frederik as well, but certainly also for Mary. Australia is big enough for her to not have seen more than a fraction of the country.
It's also a good way to acclimatize the family, especially the children. And I bet the children have by now picked up various Australian phrases. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the twins greet the press (because i'm sure there will be a photo-op) with a g'day. (That g'dag is a semi-formal greeting in DK is another matter).

Yes, Sun Lion. If you live in the countryside here in DK, you are bound to hit something at some point. I crashed our car last year, trying to avoid hitting a fox, I think. And hitting deer is common, but they are rarely lying about, because no matter how injured they are, they almost always manage to drag themselves away from the road.
But the crows consider the highways and busier roads a buffet designed for their pleasure.
And we do have dry-toilets, mostly in connection with camping but also in many allotment gardens. I remember from my childhood how an uncle of mine always emptied the toilet over the potatoes, carrots and strawberries, when it was time to go home. - That we returned the next weekend to eat the very same strawberries wasn't given a second thought.

37 C, Soula? That's hot!
And yes, I'm aware southern Australia isn't so far out that the crows need to bring their own lunch-bags. I merely meant whether it's still fairly unspoiled by tourists.
Living here in Europe, you'd be forgiven for thinking Australia only consists of the East Coast, the northern outback and Ayers Rock. The west and south coast is virtually unknown, hence my stupid questions.

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Thank you, CrownPrincessJava, Sun Lion & Soula.

So plenty of experiences for the family.
I think the twins are still too young to really appreciate Australia, even though I'm sure they thoroughly enjoy the family-time together. But for Christian and Bella it must be a fantastic experience. For Frederik as well, but certainly also for Mary. Australia is big enough for her to not have seen more than a fraction of the country.
It's also a good way to acclimatize the family, especially the children. And I bet the children have by now picked up various Australian phrases. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the twins greet the press (because i'm sure there will be a photo-op) with a g'day. (That g'dag is a semi-formal greeting in DK is another matter).

Yes, Sun Lion. If you live in the countryside here in DK, you are bound to hit something at some point. I crashed our car last year, trying to avoid hitting a fox, I think. And hitting deer is common, but they are rarely lying about, because no matter how injured they are, they almost always manage to drag themselves away from the road.
But the crows consider the highways and busier roads a buffet designed for their pleasure.
And we do have dry-toilets, mostly in connection with camping but also in many allotment gardens. I remember from my childhood how an uncle of mine always emptied the toilet over the potatoes, carrots and strawberries, when it was time to go home. - That we returned the next weekend to eat the very same strawberries wasn't given a second thought.

37 C, Soula? That's hot!
And yes, I'm aware southern Australia isn't so far out that the crows need to bring their own lunch-bags. I merely meant whether it's still fairly unspoiled by tourists.
Living here in Europe, you'd be forgiven for thinking Australia only consists of the East Coast, the northern outback and Ayers Rock. The west and south coast is virtually unknown, hence my stupid questions.

Muhler, your questions are not stupid; you are not the only one who does not know Australian geography. As a Canadian and fellow member of the Commonwealth, I am ashamed to write that I had to look up on a map where Perth and Adelaide are located! I am following this road trip (because I share your suspicion about the whereabouts of the Crown Princely family) with great interest; I will go to Australia in a few years time and am already planning my itinerary, based on what I am reading here! Many thanks to the Australian forum members, or, do I write 'Fair Dinkum"!?

[Soula]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Thank you, CrownPrincessJava, Sun Lion & Soula.

So plenty of experiences for the family.
I think the twins are still too young to really appreciate Australia, even though I'm sure they thoroughly enjoy the family-time together. But for Christian and Bella it must be a fantastic experience. For Frederik as well, but certainly also for Mary. Australia is big enough for her to not have seen more than a fraction of the country.
It's also a good way to acclimatize the family, especially the children. And I bet the children have by now picked up various Australian phrases. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the twins greet the press (because i'm sure there will be a photo-op) with a g'day. (That g'dag is a semi-formal greeting in DK is another matter).

Yes, Sun Lion. If you live in the countryside here in DK, you are bound to hit something at some point. I crashed our car last year, trying to avoid hitting a fox, I think. And hitting deer is common, but they are rarely lying about, because no matter how injured they are, they almost always manage to drag themselves away from the road.
But the crows consider the highways and busier roads a buffet designed for their pleasure.
And we do have dry-toilets, mostly in connection with camping but also in many allotment gardens. I remember from my childhood how an uncle of mine always emptied the toilet over the potatoes, carrots and strawberries, when it was time to go home. - That we returned the next weekend to eat the very same strawberries wasn't given a second thought.

37 C, Soula? That's hot!
And yes, I'm aware southern Australia isn't so far out that the crows need to bring their own lunch-bags. I merely meant whether it's still fairly unspoiled by tourists.
Living here in Europe, you'd be forgiven for thinking Australia only consists of the East Coast, the northern outback and Ayers Rock. The west and south coast is virtually unknown, hence my stupid questions.

You're questions aren't stupid Muhler, I was just taken aback a bit.

I suppose the fact that so little is known about us by the rest of the world adds to the charm of living here.
I don't think that any part of Australia is spoilt by tourists, although, like any country, we do have places like the Gold Coast which are holiday spots.
Most overseas visitors comment on the distances that you have to travel to get from one place to another.
There is also the rugged beauty of the Australian countryside that has to be experienced to be appreciated and it's great that CP Mary is giving this experience to her children.
37C is bearable but it's going to be 42C on the weekend

[polyesco]

a tweet from CheekyMonkey Brewery & Cidery
"Royal Brewery. We were graced with the presence of Mary, Crown princess of Denmark and her family. She and her friends enjoyed a quiet lunch whilst the kids had fun on the playground. What a beautiful, dignified lady she is."

https://twitter.com/CheekyMBrewery/s...47552552329216

looks like a beautiful place and relaxing to spend with family and friends
https://www.instagram.com/p/61D8UUpZ...ymonkeybrewery

[mitchell]

Princess Mary and royal family spotted at supermarket while on holiday in WA’s Great Southern

[eya]

Is it possible to have photos for Christmas by the family? It would be nice. Summer Christmas photos!! And a thank you from me too to all Australians posters here where thanks to them we learn of places in Australia that would not know otherwise.

[Muhler]

42 degrees C?!? Soula. - I would be half dead!

I did some reading on the geography on southern Australia and I was surprised to learn that the climate is equivalent to the Mediterranean climate. I thought it was cooler, akin to Cornwall.

Thanks Mitchell and Polyesco.
So they are still in Perth and the general area of Perth. Perhaps they'll fly to Hobart this weekend?
What are nibbles? Pacifiers or things to eat, like cookies.

[JessRulz]

'Nibbles' are generally any type of small snack food that can be eaten easily and typically doesn't require cutlery (for instance, at parties there will usually be a table filled with 'nibbles' - potato chips, dips, cheese and biscuits, finger food-types).

[Queen Claude]

Who from Mary's family still lives in Hobart?

[polyesco]

Originally Posted by mitchell

Princess Mary and royal family spotted at supermarket while on holiday in WA’s Great Southern

thank you
Finally someone got a selfie with Frederik
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/6...0a91cf80b01e6b
a bit blurry but you see his lovely smile
and it looks like he is growing his beard

short article,
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWQe9ojUkAADi6w.jpg
from this tweet
https://twitter.com/joshymartin/stat...99912239583232

[mitchell]

https://au.entertainment.yahoo.com/a...alian-holiday/

[MidwestMom]

If they are traveling with brother John and his family, that's quite a large group. Plus security and nannies/helpers and extra vehicles. I've been on a road trip with two children - I can only imagine what this is like. No doubt a lot of planning went into it, and it's good that they're being left alone for the most part.

[polyesco]

John has two daughters, in one of the pictures we can see her siting with Mary.
Two bodyguards have been mentioned, but Im sure they do rotations. No mention of nannies so far. I don't think a 'helper" is tagging along yet. Its seems to be very low key family stuff.

More on her Mary's family
Meet Princess Mary’s Australian family | Woman's Day

[Roskilde]

Originally Posted by MidwestMom

Maybe this trip is Frederik's Christmas gift to Mary: a nice, quiet, and private vacation in her homeland. And a family reunion of more than just a few days. Hope they continue to be left alone.

That's exactly what it seems to be. A nice laid-back, low key and private family trip with Mary's family
Nothing royal at all about this trip (except for the two bodyguards..) Just being the Donaldson family and appearing like any other family going to the local supermarkets to pick up supplies. The few people who have spotted them describes: Incognito, just like a normal, everyday couple with four kids.

I read the family last week were seen popping into the local bakery to grab a quick coffee. Mary stayed in the car with the children while Frederik and John headed inside to pick up the coffees.

They have been spotted some places, but it's polite people in the area it seems. No pictures and they are left alone. Hope they're having a wonderful time.