Cockington Green Gardens located in Canberra—Australia’s capital is home to meticulous crafted and highly detailed miniature buildings and landscapes. It is a wonderful place full of creativity with replicas of many international known buildings or scenes. If your ever visiting Canberra take a couple of hours and enjoy a roam around the gardens and be inspired.
In yesterday’s post I mentioned that Australia has over 150 big things. The original big thing — The Big Banana opened in 1964 and recently celebrated its 50th birthday. John Landi came up with the idea initially to get more people to stop at his banana stall on the Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour. It worked. Australians and international visitors stopped in droves to visit the Big Banana and taste the iconic chocolate coated bananas. I remember my first trip as a young and impressionable 10-year-old travelling north on my first road trip. There were bananas everywhere and the Big Banana itself looked so much like a real banana. Then I discovered why, the designer had cut up the most perfectly shaped banana into 40 pieces to build the pattern.
Over the years the Big Banana has grown into the biggest tourist attraction on the North Coast of New South Wales. It is now called The Big Banana Fun Park and includes Laser Tag, an Ice Skating Rink, a Wild Toboggan Ride, a 36 hole Mini Golf Course and Water Park. There is also “The World of Bananas” multimedia experience, plantation and a packing shed, nursery, café, gift and souvenir shop, a Candy Kitchen and Cheese Making Workshop. There is definitely something here for everyone including a mandatory selfie in front of the iconic Big Banana.
Last year I returned with my family and enjoyed sharing my fond memories of the Big Banana with my children, and created some new ones. I was also excited to discover the Big Banana’s monkey who helps entertain the million visitors each year is called Max.
It’s no wonder the Park’s slogan is “It’s a bunch of fun.”
What better way to start the April 2016 A – Z challenge than with some fun facts about my amazing country, Australia.
Some of the many and varied amazing landscapes of New Zealand’s North Island.
Tell a broad story using a series of short, focused scenes.
This was our day at Fanta Wild Adventure Park, Zhenzhou, China. We came to watch our daughter in the diving show and enjoyed immersing ourselves in another culture, creating many amazing memories as we were stopped by many of the locals wanting to take a photo with us and practice their English as we toured the park.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/discover-challenges/snapshots/
I can still remember the excitement my husband and I felt when we found the Flamingo Pond in Kowloon Park, Hong Kong. We had walked past the park everyday however we didn’t realise what it actually was until our second last day when we entered and found a secret treasure. Prior to this experience as Australians we had only seen the odd Flamingo in a zoo. These beautiful creatures in a flock were majestic. We stood watching them for more than twenty minutes leaving because the sun was beginning to set.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/state-of-mind/
What are you a “natural” at doing?
I am naturally good at the balance sport—trampoling, roller skating and ice skating.
I am naturally good at resolving conflicts and being the go to person when people want a friend to talk to. I would get the ex best friends talking again and suddenly I was being ignored again.
I am a naturally good at knitter. The first time I created something my teacher didn’t believe that I had done it because it was too perfect and looked like my mother had knitted it.
Would you prefer a one floor house or multiple levels?
Having lived in both I definitely prefer an open plan single storey house.
What was your favorite subject in school?
I don’t remember having a favourite subject at school although possibly home science. I did okay at school but I had to work at it.
Complete this sentence: If only the rain.. would stop or turn into snow. This is what my husband and I said to each other last Christmas when we had traveled to Canada for a white Christmas and the rain kept washing away the small amount of snow we got.
“What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?”
Last week I was grateful for the many learn opportunities I had at work through mistakes made. This week I am looking forward to giving my 10th advanced speech and receiving my Advanced Communicator Bronze award at Toastmasters.
Write a letter to the personality trait you like least, convincing it to shape up or ship out. Be as threatening, theatrical, or thoroughly charming as is necessary to get the job done.
Dear Messiness,
You are an inherent trait with me since birth, definitely a direct descendant of both my mother and father. You are my automatic default particularly when I am busy or tired and to put it bluntly, in the end, you usually just create me more work. You are out of control and have to go. I am sick of even the small amounts of time you have taken from me, as I need to search through your mess to find what I want or need. One of the things I have noticed about you is that the busier and crazier my day is, the more out of control you get. You definitely can tell the state of my mind by the state of my desk.
WELL NO MORE.
We are parting ways. You sabotage my goals and steal my precious time. So, I have decided to be the change I want to see in the world or more importantly, my family. Over the next few months, I am going to mindfully work on eliminating you. It will take a while but you will lose. They say old habits die hard but I am looking forward to your death. You serve no positive purpose in my life and I will work hard to rebirth you using my monthly coffee catch-ups to share my success at changing my world.
From This
To This
Kind Regards
Max
Photo credits: Google
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/shape-up-or-ship-out/
Today, only 21 months after my first post — Happy Mother’s Day, on Mother’s Day 2014, I celebrate my 400th post. This is a milestone I never dreamed possible, so to celebrate please enjoy my acrostic poem — another skill I’ve learnt on my Inspiring Max journey.
Following my dream
Out of my comfort zone
Under the guidance of those who had gone before
Rewarded by new friends in over a hundred countries
Honing my skills with
Unique and positive posts
Navigating my way
Determined to make a difference
Respecting and responding to others
Enjoying the journey
Driven by inspiration
Trusting my instincts
Happy others find my hard work helpful
Passion, persistence and positivity
Open the way for my original
Simple success
Thankful for Inspiring Max’s amazing community
Old Quebec City has many murals however the first created, known as the mural of Quebecers is very special. It depicts life through the history of Quebec and its citizens. I could have looked at it for hours and still find something new. Cleverly disguised as part of the artwork on the building are:
If you ever get the chance to go to Old Quebec City seek out the Mural of Quebecers–its definitely worth a look.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/life-imitates-art/