The people at Dunk Island have been very busy reading the amazing comments that have come through on this post. It has been a tough choice and I am glad that I was not the one responsible for naming the winner. But Dunk Island were. And they have named the winner
….
Marrianne Curtis.
This was her entry:
“My partner and I were actually planning to spend our honeymoon at Dunk Island in 2009. Newly engaged, working full time and raising my 2 daughters, we planned how we would spend our time there – precious ‘us’ time (lol..You get so little of it as parents and it was a big adjustment for a 26 year old bachelor to go into full time dad mode..but he did it so well).
We were both shocked when we found out we were expecting twins- due only 3 weeks after our planned wedding date. We postponed the wedding, and the honeymoon, promising that we would get there ‘next’ year (2010). Fast forward to after our boys were born and we started down what would become the worst and and best 12 months of our lives. One of our boys was seriously ill, constantly fighting to breathe and slowly going backwards. Days spent in hospitals, nights pacing the floor, arguments over money for medical bills. Guilt and tears became a constant part of our lives. Never ending tests, medications and specialist. 6 weeks ago was crisis point. His windpipe collapsed, his lungs filling with fluid. His airways too small and weak to support his body. Thank God for the Mater Childrens Hospital and a wonderful team of doctors who finally knew what was wrong.
Our baby is now on the slow road to recovery. He can breathe unassisted. He can hear for the first time in his short little life. We can sleep at night without hearing him struggle. If I was to win this holiday I would take my daughters, who have put up with a crying, distracted, stressed out mummy and I would take our boys and my partner and get married on the island. I would take my mum and my mother in law, who have both been woken numerous times in the night by a hysterically sobbing wreck or dropped whatever they were doing to come when needed. I would say ‘I do’ with my partner on the beach, where my sons can hear the waves and spend the next week celebrating and revelling in my family.”
Marrianne – please contact Lana at lana@mamamia.com.au. She is dying to speak to you!!
You could be on these chairs....
Sponsored Post: Who feels like sitting on an amazing sun-drenched tropical beach, complete with white sand, huge coconut palms bending over to shade you, and the idyllic Great Barrier Reef as your swimming pool? For free.
Not you?
Ok, click on the next post then.
Oh wait.
Read on because:
One lucky MM reader will take delivery of the islands’ Best of Both Worlds package, worth $7,500, which includes Dunk Island Resort accommodation and meals for up to four adults and three kids, one night on the exclusive, luxury Bedarra Island Resort for two adults, and return flights from Cairns to Dunk Island.
Having experienced this package myself in order to write this post, I’m here to tell you, it’s awesome sauce. Awesome. Sauce. And this isn’t
just a competition for those with kids. It’s also for those who have friends with kids. Or kids with kids.
One of the things about kids is that they can be superb fun to hang out with on holidays. But when children are involved, you really need to redefine what you mean by the word ‘holiday’.
On this very subject, I once wrote:
‘Holidays with kids’ is an oxymoron. And I’m an actual moron because I always forget this and am surprised when I come home exhausted. A couple of years ago, on ‘holiday’, I called a girlfriend to have a big fat whinge about how tired I was. “Don’t call it a holiday” she instructed. “Call it Moving The Baby To A Different Location.” That was sage.
My baby is no longer a baby anymore. He is now a toddler which brings with it a rainbow of new issues, none of them terribly relaxing when on holiday. But he’s enormous fun to be with, as is our pre-schooler and pre-teen. So. How to combine our desire for a family holiday with the dream of some couple time?
Thank you to the kind genius at Dunk/Bedarra Islands who thought up the Best Of Both Worlds Package. Because you must have been reading my mind.
Here’s how the website explains it:
Dunk & Bedarra are right near Cairns
In a brand new holiday concept designed to put a smile on everyone’s face, this package delivers a fantastic Dunk Island Resort holiday with your friends or family with the added bonus of a couples’ night away at beautiful Bedarra Island Resort.
Consider bringing the extended family – Nan & Pop and the kids – and Mum & Dad get to spend one night on Bedarra while the rest of the family enjoys Dunk Island! Or, you could come along with another couple or even your brother and sister… the choice is yours – and you get to decide who enjoys Dunk Island Resort with the children while you go to Bedarra!
Here’s the offer: Book a holiday on Dunk Island Resort for up to 4 adults and 3 children staying in 2 Beachfront rooms for 5 nights, and one couple can slip away to Bedarra Island for 1 night during your stay. It really IS the ‘Best of Both Worlds’ and is a wonderful way to treat the family to iconic Dunk Island as well as giving a couple a taste of Bedarra’s exclusive luxury (especially as the regular minimum stay at Bedarra is usually 2 nights).‘Best of Both Worlds’ at Dunk Island Resort includes 2 Beachfront rooms, full buffet breakfast, a 2 course lunch and a 3 course or buffet dinner daily per person. Kids stay and eat free on existing bedding. Also included is one night on beautiful Bedarra for two adults in a Hillside Villa. Bedarra is all inclusive with daily gourmet meals, selected alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages and island activities such as use of motorised dinghies to explore the secluded beaches of the island.To book contact our Reservations Team on 1300 384 403 or reservations@dunk-island.com
*Conditions Apply. Please contact us for further information. Valid for Travel: 12/8/2010 – 31/03/2011. Subject to availability.
When the Dunk/Bedarra folk contacted us to offer us a free trip in exchange for reviewing this new package for Mamamia we thought about it for approximately 4 seconds before saying yes. With one condition.
Breakfast at Bedarra....
We wanted 2 trips (demanding, aren’t we?). One for our family and one to give away to a Mamamia reader so THEY can experience the Best Of Both Worlds. More about how you can be that reader in a moment. Because you really, really want to be. Trust me on that one.
To get to Dunk Island you fly to Cairns and then either coach it to Mission Beach or fly direct to Dunk. We flew. In a small plane. Which is an indication of how keen I was to go (more about that in a future post because I know many of you want to know how I overcame my intense fear of flying). It was fine. Fast and fine.
The plan was to take good friends who were happy to look after the kids on Dunk when we escaped to Bedarra for our 24 hours of heaven. A few weeks before we left, they decided to get married while we were there which made this holiday even more memorable. Lots of people have weddings on Dunk Island apparently. And as soon as we arrived, we understood why.
Full of families and couples of all ages, Dunk is set up beautifully for choice. You can relax on one of the peaceful, white-sand beaches or by one of the huge pools, go for walks through the bush, do water activities (everything from water trampoline to kayaking, paddle-boarding, fishing, snorkling etc), visit the farm, walk through the pristine rain forest surrounding the resort, have beauty treatments or learn how to open coconuts or throw boomerangs – two skills my son now proudly boasts on his CV.
I never met a day bed I didn't like.
Imagine yourself here...
I’m not an activity girl – my eldest son and his mate who came along are. Husband falls somewhere in between. Most days, the boys ran around being boys, sometimes Jason joined in and the kids stayed close to me, usually by the pool. We spent several stunning afternoons collecting coconuts and shells on the beach and generally pretending we were a castaway family except with full buffet breakfast.
Castaways need lots of energy via eggs, bacon and waffles so they can collect coconuts.
There’s a kids club for 3-12 year olds (best for kids smack bang in the middle of that range) and even if you don’t leave your kids there, you can still visit and play with all the toys and equipment and join in some kiddie activities.
There’s also a great babysitting service which we used one day. Mealtimes are easy – a couple of different restaurant options with different types of food and kids menus everywhere.
Like always on family holidays, we were up early and in bed early. We got some sun, played in the sand, swam constantly and enjoyed each other. And then it was time for Jason and I to jump on the boat to Bedarra, waving the kids goodbye for 24 hours of bliss.
This is as active as I got on Bedarra.
And what bliss it was OH YES IT WAS. And did I mention bliss? For the first hour or so the silence hurt my ears. It was so quiet. Nobody was speaking to me or asking me for a drink or to help them put on their shoes. That was weird but fabulous.
And it took a couple of hours to stop feeling like I was late for something. Until I realised that when you’re on holidays with your kids, any time away from them feels snatched, stolen, illicit. I soon got over it, and the novelty of being able to go to the loo or take a luxurious shower without an audience never got old.
With only 16 luxury villas on the island, the maximum number of guests is 32 and ‘personalised service’ doesn’t begin to describe it. Bedarra is much smaller than Dunk, more intimate and an entirely different experience. We did very little during our time there other than lounge on daybeds and deck-chairs, dip in the ocean and swing on hammocks. The food was possibly the best we’ve ever eaten. And the vibe was completely relaxed. No need to dress for dinner or even wear shoes even though everything about the place is simply stunning in a very chilled way.
I read vast chunks of my book – uninterrupted. We had conversations – uninterrupted. And we slept. Uninterrupted.
36hrs later, we jumped back on the boat and arrived just in time for the wedding which was held right on the beach while the rest of the island gathered somewhere else to watch the AFL Grand Final. There was much merriment to be had for both romantic and sporting reasons.
Beach bliss
Dunk Island
By the time we flew back to Cairns and home, we were rested on so many levels. We’d had beautiful family time, restorative couple time and an all round amazing time.
Does that sound like something you or someone you know could do with?
Time to enter the Mamamia Dunk & Bedarra competition to win a Best Of Both Worlds package worth $7500.
Here’s what you have to do: provide a comment on this post by no later than 5 November 2010 telling us why you most deserve to win this prize, who you would take it with and what you’re most looking forward to experiencing on the islands – the best comment as judged by Mamamia and the Dunk/Bedarra folk (influenced by the number of likes) will win! Winner to be announced in 4 weeks (9 November 2010) with the lucky winner to take their Best of Both Worlds holiday by 30 June 2011 – be creative in generating “likes” – share the post on facebook and use your facebook status to tell people about your story…Full terms and conditions for competitions found here
Regardless of whether you win, these two iconic islands should be on the list of places to visit as a couple, as a family or both! We’ll certainly be going back…
STOP PRESS: Dunk Island was named Australasia’s Leading Family Resort at the World Travel Awards Asia & Australasia ceremony held in Delhi, India, on 14th October 2010. Click here for more details
Please click here for full disclosure details
Bedarra Bay
239 Comments so far
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Do you know that aside from going to visit our families in various parts of NSW, my hubby and 2 gorgeous daughters have never actually ever been able to afford a real holiday away to anywhere!!! This would just be bliss for us! To be able to spend quality time just on our own as our little family would mean the world to us, and I must admit that as mum, if I could provide this, it would just be a massive way of saying a huge thank you to my gorgeous hubby, who works so hard and loves us so much, and my lovely daugters, who are kind and loving and never ever ask for anything:))))
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D is for daydreaming on the beach
U is for ultimate bliss
N is for nautical sports
K is for Kirsty and Katrina
I is for intoxicating views
S is for sipping cocktails by the pool
L is for luscuious food
A is for awsome
N is for natural beauty
D is for delicious food
If I were to win I would take my best friend Katrina. She has a 5yr old and a 6month yr old. She is married to a professional motorcross rider and also runs a baby clothing store. They travel to race every second weekend but never for pleasure. We would relax in the spa, sip champagne and have a girly time.
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D is for daydreaming on the beach
U is for ultimate bliss
N is for nautical sports
K is for Kirsty and Katrina
I is for intoxicating views
S is for sipping cocktails by the pool
L is for luscuious food
A is for awsome
N is for natural beauty
D is for delicious food
If I were to win I would take my best friend Katrina. She has a 5yr old and a 6month yr old. She is married to a professional motorcross rider. They travel to race every second weekend but never for pleasure. We would relax in the spa and have a girly time.
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I dont have a fancy rhyme or complicated reason. I just love my kids and want them to experience all this gorgeous world has to offer. Big props to mamamia and the resorts for making a competition with 2 adults and 3 kids! Sometimes with all family packages for 2 adults and 2 kids it makes me feel like my other child is left out. Absolutely stunning views, time to relax again together as a family without work, school and technology (all phones and ipods not allowed!) and get back to enjoying just one anothers company. Its truly a gift of a lifetime!
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i would love to win this holiday me and my new husband could have a homey moon away from the kids
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Gday,My wife,Karen and I have both been to Dunk Island for a very short stay,But it still is well ingrained into both our memories as one of the best tropical delights North Queensland has to offer.From the sensual smorgasbord of tropical food to the balmy sunsets on the beach,playing golf or swimming in the magnificent swimming pools,DUNK has it all.
I would like to take our three kids,Emma 17,Lisa 14 and Daniel 10 who might have been conceived on DUNK!
Neil (mates for about 30 years) and his wife Kelly who were married in July and were going to Fraser Island for their honeymoon when Kelly was feeling unwell so she went to the doctors.She was diagnosed with skin cancer that has spread through her body.So I would like to take this wonderful couple with my family to get DUNKED.
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I’d like to go to Dunk my toe in the water,
I’d like to think that I thunk that I oughta,
Enter the comp to take my wife, my son and my daughter,
To breakfast in Bedarra; fish dinner that’s caught for’ya
Relaxed, with a book, by the pool, with drinks brought to ya.
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I dream about returning to the beauty of Brammo Bay, watching the sun dip over the mountains on the mainland. Those palms and the gentle colours of every shade of blue….mmmmm, dreamy.
I would love to share this dream reunion in paradise with my son and his wife who live in America, as well as my husband and 2 daughters .
My husband and I would love the retreat on Bedarra, plenty to do and plenty of ways to relax and chill…perfect.
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Oh wowee! Dear mama mia, I believe I deserve to win this prize because I am winter & work intolerant. A debilitating condition that requires me to sunbake for extensive hours on sunny tropical islands & be completely relaxed. Dunk island with its pristine white sands, deliciously warm sun & friendly staff seems like an idylic retreat.
My servants/friends & family would love to come along with me (to feed me grapes) as we all relax on the banana lounges & have impromptu island photoshoots. Personally, I am most looking forward to exploring the island & walking the divide to the other small islands at low tide!
Thanks for reading xx
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I think everyone deserves a holiday on Dunk and Bedarra – check out the picture below that I took when on Bedarra last October; I mean, WHO couldn’t feel good there?
Life chucks everyone curved balls from time to time – but the real people that deserve to go to Dunk/Bedarra for me are those that have helped me through; stood by me; coped with my not-coping; validated me when I couldn’t even validate myself – and still been my friend at the end of it all – I’ll take them with me if I win – but if I don’t win, whoever does – you will simply Love both gorgeous places!
And you WILL come back changed for the better. Good Luck, Carol x
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I’m going to throw this out there: It’s hard to think of a reason why other people should help you win a holiday.
Really I’m a fairly ordinary girl (with more than her fair share of quirks) who would just love to be able to see the rest of her family enjoy a relaxing time. Stress has a way of sneaking in to most people’s lives and frankly it isn’t too easy to get away from, but if there is one place it can’t reach, I think that place looks a lot like the Dunk Island Resort. We have been there before as a family and at the risk of being exceptionally cheesy, it felt like a dream. There isn’t much that we wouldn’t be looking forward to, but to paraphrase my mum: “I can just lie here. I don’t have to do anything!!”. As a zoology student, though, I would definitely be looking forward to seeing those big blue butterflies passing by as relaxed as we are.
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Winning this would be the most wonderful Christmas present for my family so that we may celebrate the health and recovery of our 3rd little baby girl. She was born 7 months ago and had to have immediate surgery to join her esophagus to her tummy. As a family we say our ‘gratefuls’ around the dinner table and I would love to do a grateful beach ceremony at Dunk to let the universe know how thankful we are for our little girls and all the help we received from Ronald Mcdonald House, Flying Doctors, and all the nurses and Dr’s at the hospital. We would love to have along with us the girls Nanny & Poppy as they have only seen baby Olivia once before, and they too could do with a bit of spoiling right now.
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Our time on Dunk Island is one that will not be forgot
That’s where my husband and I tied the knot
We would love to go back and celebrate our anniversary in June
If we won this trip we’d be over the moon!
Those gourmet breakfasts that we enjoyed so much
The golf, walking trails, swimming and such
We would be able to enjoy all over again
We could experience another holiday rated 10/10
Please nominate that you ‘like’ my post
To you, my husband and I would raise our glass and toast
For it was you that assisted in our dream come to life
and we could enjoy our next holiday as husband and wife!
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Mamamia what a wonderful description of magical moments on Dunk & Bedarra Islands..i feel i would most enjoy playing make belive castaways…ah to be Butterfly catching & coconut collecting ..at sunset with my 2 boys (8 & 11) exhilarated after a day of kids club activiites. Bringing mum & dad would give them a reason to smile! What a generous gesture Dunk Island, wishing the new management team all the best for the years ahead.
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How do you ever say thanks to your Mum? Well a trip to Dunk Island would be a fantastic start!! My husband and I are eternally grateful to both our Mums and we can never say thank you enough for all the love and support they give to us and our two beautiful daughters. We would both take our Mums with us to Dunk Island and we would make the most of the time together as a family enjoying each others company.
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I would like to win this holiday for my mum and dad, with my hubby and kids coming along for the ride. Mum is a hairdresser who loves her job and her clients, but never has a holiday. The last time she had more than a 4 day break was when I was in Year 9-I’m now 38! I would love my extended family to holiday together and surely if it was a prize, she wouldn’t be able to find an excuse. They spent so many years doing for me and I would love to return the favour by sending them off for the romantic break on Bedarra away from us and the kids. Whoever wins it sounds like the most amazing vacation so good luck to all.
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I would love to win this magical holiday for one of my closest dear friends. She really deserves a break after having her first born 5 years ago and a few years later the addition of twin girls who are now 2yr old. As a stay at home mum at times I feel she really could do with a break and Dunk Island would be the perfect holiday having recently spent 4 nights on Dunk with 21 family members(11 Children and 10 Adults) and travelling for 7 weeks down the coast of Queensland, Dunk Island was the highlight of our trip, I quite often find myself day dreaming about this wonderful speculator place and I would love her to experience this unbelievable kid friendly paradise.
Please ‘DUNK’ this great family
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My partner and I would love the opportunity to get away! It’s been one big year for both of us. My partner has two children aged 4 & 2 and has had a tough year with family and other personal issues and Me….well I’m just a nut case who fell up a set of stairs and has had a year of operations and rehabilitation…..and still going with it all!
We are both mentally and physically exhausted & a holiday together and with the kids, would definately recharge the batteries.
We’ve never been to Dunk Island but I’ve seen the pictures and read the many blogs and it sounds like absolute heaven and paradise combined.
I couldn’t think of a better place for my partner, the kids and I to go. It would definately be an experience and an opportunity for the kids to explore one of Qld’s top tourist destinations and the natural wonders that go along with holidaying on Dunk Island + the bonus of endulging in one of my favourite pastimes; photography.
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I have previously visited Dunk Island, when I was 14 or 15 years of age, that was about 35 years ago. I bet it’s changed a little since then.
Your description of what to look forward to has me dreaming already.
I would love to take my wife to Dunk to allow her to wind down and recover from her brush with breast cancer. A small lump with no complications for which we are very thankfull.
Mind you we have put in the miles, so far over 7500 kilometers for various appointments and treatments, and radiotherapy still to come. 4 weeks in Townsville will clock up another almost 4000 kilometers.
I would also take my parents as a thank you for putting us up through all this and more.
Hope to see you there.
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Hi i would love to win this prize to take my 3 daughters and my new son (tony 6 weeks) on our first family holiday since he was born. I would also like to get my family and my partners family all over on the island at the same time. We took the two older girls over 6 months ago and they had the best time. my regrets were that thier little sister didn’t come. ( as i thougt that it would not be a suitable place for a toddler,,,my, how wrong was i!!)and that we could only offord to stay for one night.
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I would LOVE to take my brilliant parents, my two gorgeous daughters and my awesome husband to enjoy ‘heaven on earth’.
My parents ‘deserve’ this holiday, they have never had it easy in life and have always given me everything they could and still do in their late 70′s, I don’t know what I would do without them! My husband works away to give us the best possible life he can. My daughters miss him. It would be lovely if I could give back to my loved ones, a little bit of paradise to spend some well deserved quality time together! I wanna get ‘dunked’ with my family : )
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As already having the opportunity to enjoy Dunk Island for 5 days I would love to win this trip for my Brother-in-law and his family.. Him and his wife have 3 adorable daughters aged: 8, 5 & 1 and I have known them for nearly 6 years.. In this time I have watched them cope through everything thrown at them the best they possibly could with what money they had. They don’t own a house like my partner & I do and they don’t share our lifestyle where we can go away for long weekends and enjoy holidays away like Dunk Island. They have never been on a holiday and the kids would just love what Dunk has to offer! I would let friends or close family go with them to look after the kids while they went to Bedarra!!!
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top of Dunk Island views are amazing great walk worth the effort can see the whole family of islands also would love to win this holiday to take my family to enjoy it as much as we did
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magical beauty everywhere
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I would love to go back to Dunk Island – the coral island out the front is magical to be on there with noone else around and get spoilt on Dunk Island with beautiful scenery and accommation and the food is amazing- we love Dunk Island but its the special little touches that make it unique like the flowers in clam shells and floating in water bowls and the fantastic service – thank you and i would enjoy winning this package so i can take some more photos and relax in your magical world
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I love this photo of our three kids at sunset on the beach near the jetty. The day was just beautiful and the sunset with the kids playing in the sand topped it off. Thank you Dunk Island for a truly relaxing holiday
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I NEED THIS HOLIDAY!!! I have 3 children aged 4,2 and 1 and i cant even remember what silence sounds like!!
i would take my mum and dad as it would be so nice to share a holiday like this with them. it is something they would never do by themselves because of the cost, i would love to treat them for all the wonderful things my mum does for me, and at the same time treat myself!!!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me win this break!!!
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To be Dunked =
D – De-stress and recharge
U – unique experience
N – nan & pop
K – kids club
E – Enchanting escape to Bedarra!
D – Dunked
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My parent took me to Dunk Island when I was 5 years old. I had the time of my little life. I loved the kids club, the swimming pools and the food. These are the memories which I will keep close to me forever. Dunk Island made such an impression on me that I took my husband there for our honeymoon, we spent 10 days in a Bayview Suite. It was absolute bliss. We were pampered and cared for like no other holiday destination had ever provided. Now 5 years down the track we have 2 beautiful children of our own and one on the way. I would love to offer my children the experience which I once had and give them memories they will treasure forever. A holiday in Dunk Island with my new little family would be a dream come true.
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I would love to win this prize simply because I am a MUM! And every mum deserves a tropical island get away once in a while
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If I was to win this holiday I would take my darling husband to celebrate our 10year anniversary
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Why would I love to win this holiday, so I could show my husband and my kids what a great experience that I had on Dunk at the beginning of this year with my best friend. My husband deserves a good break away and my kids don’t get enough time with us due to work commitments (of working full time and also starting up a brand new business from home) and running around after 3 kids with activities. I would love for them to feel the relaxation and beauty of Dunk and enjoy time in the sun, get to know the friendly staff and generally just be away from all the rushing around.
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I love Far North Queensland, my time was cut short up there 2 years ago and I had to move home to Melbourne due to a relationship turned sour. Please let me discover what I have been longing for and dreaming about for the past 2 years. Everyday. The pictures of sand and sun on my bedroom wall are slowly fading, but my vision board has Dunk Island on it and it will stay on my wall until it sees me packing a suitcase with a smile nothing could replace!
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I am a full time carer of my disabled son and as much as much as I would adore this holiday for myself I would love to win this holiday for my friend Louise,her children and her partner Steve who have had a tough year and things are just not looking up for them,but my friend is always there for me and she never complains.
They have never had a holiday away together,They run a farm fulltime and they deserve it so much,Both Louise and Steve are the sort of people that will drop everything to help a friend out,they are always doing so much for others.
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I would love to go on a holiday but I want to win this prize for my friend.
Her and her husband got married in March 2010 and it was a lovely wedding but since their ‘surprise package’ came along about 2.5 years ago, money has been very tight and they could not afford a honeymoon.
I would love to win this holiday so they could have an opportunity to have the honeymoon they so deserve.
And the thing I would most look forward to on the islands would be sending my friend and her husband to Bedarra for their ’24 hours of heaven’.
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I’ve been wondering about who won this competition and I see after checking that it hasn’t been drawn yet. I was uncomfortable with this post when I first saw it, and I didn’t comment at the time, but I really feel that I want to share my view on it.
When you set up a competition like this which has vague guidelines as to how it will be judged, effectively it is a reasonably random chance of winning. Except when you add in the “tell us why you deserve to win” you also bring an element into it of “my hard luck story is worse than your hard luck story” which I think encourages people to compete with each other for the most deserving reason.
And what is that really? How can you really judge that? I understand that you want to make sure a deserving person wins the competition, however it also disadvantages others who don’t have a compelling or distressing reason (according to someone’s definition) for deserving to win.
I think a far better thing to do would have been to encourage people to email their stories or reasons why they deserve to win directly to Mamamia and then put all of those in a hat and randomly chosen a winner. Getting people to post them and then vote on it, well it just seems a bit uncomfortable.
Or, alternatively, you could have made the whole competition random and just selected a number and that number commentor wins.
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How do you spell ‘raspberry’?
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I agree,I must admit for a minute I thought of myself and my full time job caring for my disabled son and other children on my own,but then I thought of my lovely friend,infact the only friend that has stood by me through my marraige break up and my constant challenges with my son,I have chosen to respect the privacy of my friend and not give full details of her personal life as thats what it is personal,I am sure there are alot of people that deserve this holiday so all I will do is cross my fingers
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I don’t think you need to apologise Liz! Good luck
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Patsy & Eddy said…Passports, tickets, money…CHECK
The Young Ones asked….”do we have a video” oH Neil..we do!
Louise & Stephen say….dog-sitter (check), house alarm (check), kids (annoying..check), 12 Golden Words (prep- teacher..check), anaphylactic medication for kids (check..do we have to?)
Email to boss (I’m sick..check)….
Notice to Mia…Ta darl…trip of a life-time see you when we get back!
Thanks to Bedarra and Dunk Sponsors…promise to speak highly of you to all and sundry CHECK..CHECK….OOOHHHH CHECK
Sounds glib; but hubby works shift opposite me and kids do the “latch-key thing”..Nana over it and kids need time with the mumma and dadda beyond tuckshop and bus money..Maybe they will remember our names? Oh well..fingers crossed..xxxoxoxo
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10 reasons why I (+ husband, 3yr old, 20mth old & 5month old) need a holiday on Dunk Island. We’d bring along some very deserving friends who we’d also send on the night to Bedarra (as there’re few/no people I’d subject to a day and night with my 3 tiny terrors.
10. The number of seconds my morning shower lasts for.
At Dunk Island Resort I’ll shower for at least 3 or 4 minutes while the children sleep ’till 8 (being so exhausted from days of sandcastle building) Maybe I’ll even leave the dry shampoo at home and actually wash my hair.
9. The number of cheerios I just chiselled from the kitchen floor.
No cheerios for us on Dunk Island Resort! Big buffet breakfast where we’ll select non-cementing foods which the little folk will demolish and best of all, when we’re done stuffing ourselves I can get up and waddle off to the beach. (I realise the prospect of cheerio chucking toddlers may not endear me to the folks at Dunk Island Resort who are reviewing these entries but when there’s the prospect of pancakes for breakfast everyday they’d be on their very best behaviour…promise.)
8. The number of hours sleep I’ll have on Dunk Island.
Swimming, farm visits, kids activities, sand, running, coconut and shell collecting and big full tummies will ensure little munchkins sleep soundly for 12hours every night. Even if this is not the case surely those day beds are good for nap time?!
7. The number of times I’ve changed nappies today and it’s only 9am.
I realise I’ll still have to change nappies on Dunk Island (unless that’s part of the package?) but husband will be around to take 50% of those and I’ll be so relaxed that I’ll embrace each nappy changing moment, breathing deeply and smiling the whole time
6. The number of items of clothing in my wardrobe. Three babies in three years will do that to a wardbrobe.
Point is…on Dunk Island I’ll need a dress or two and my “super duper tummy-tastic, push your boobs up, ass-enhancing, age defying, go go gadget” swimsuit and that’s it!
5. Is the number of times I run up and down the stairs to load up the car every time we go out. Two toddlers, one baby, pram, bags, oops! Forgot the drinks, oops! Forgot purse and phone.
On holiday…just the beach bag to load up, no phone required and the drinks will come to US!
4. Times I’ve had the vacuum cleaner out today. 4! I’ve also been on hands and knees at least a dozen times mopping up spills, various food items and to retrieve crayons from under tables.
On Dunk Island the only reason I’ll be on my hands and knees is… To dig sandcastles and collect shells. (Come on! Minds out of the gutter…it’s a family holiday!)
3. The number Domestic injuries I’m sporting. (Stay-at-home mum is right up there with Lion Tamer I tell ya) One on my wrist from the oven. Bruise on my shin from tripping over the coffee table while chasing a toddler. RSI in my shoulder from hanging washing. (Maybe not the last one but it’s only a matter of time)
On Dunk Island (you see where this is headed?) No domestic chores = no domestic injuries.
2. cups of coffee to see me through the day. I usually only get two mouthfuls out of a cup…
On holiday…no cold coffee! whoo hoo! Keep the cocktails coming…Daddy’s watchin’ the kids!
1. Just ONE holiday. I don’t need any more than that. I’ll never stop talking about my fabulous trip to Dunk Island (and I can TALK…see the above mumblings?) so it really would be fantastic advertising sending the gang and me on a trip to Dunk Island. With four motor mouth adults spreading the word and two very vocal toddlers there will be a 10 year waiting list before you know it!
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I sooooo deserve to win the trip to “my” Dunk Island and Bedarra because I love, love, love it so much!! I love it so much we just took our 3rd trip there and parachuted onto “my” Island for my 50th birthday. It’s all I dream about, talk about and think about!
My husband had been away for two months working in Melbourne and we met in Cairns for my dream getaway. Since we left Dunk this last time, on 8/9/2010, my husband flew out the following day to the U.S. and we haven’t seen him since. He’s not due home for another month. By the time he returns he will not have seen his kids or Grandkids for four months.
It would be a dream come true to bring the whole family back to Dunk because they love it as much as I do and it would be the most amazing family reunion. Then I can enjoy somee much needed alone time with hubby on Bedarra.
Oh yeah…. pick moi!! #1 Dunk Island Fan!!!! no joke
I even have a portrait that was painted for me of the steps with flower bowls leading up to the dining area.. love it!
Thanks so much~
Sue Rossi
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ok enough is enough i put a positive note in my story well now you are getting the real story.
I have been married for 24 years the last 8 years have been hell on earth. I lost my father in law to cancer, then 2 years after that lost hundreds of thousands of dollars due to the very dishonest ways of a very dishonest person. When this happened i went into the foetal position and had great depression for over a year, counselling every week too. WE lived on the central coast in a lovely house and the kids had a room each, with the loss our mortgage hit the roof and we just kept treading water, my hubby was doing over 60 hours a week in sydney and i rarely saw him, he would leave at 4.30 and get home at 7pm and stay away every tuesday and friday at his mums in sydney. this was so difficult, so we made the decision to move, we moved to sydney and moved into a 2 bedroom unit. so from and 3 bedroom house to 2 bedroom unit. 2 years after that we finally did not get the money back and had to sell our home. Still left with a debt after that we had to work to pay that off too. So now 5 years later we are still renting and trying to save not even a 5% deposit yet. STill have 2 kids 18 and 15 sharing a room. Its been tough and going away with my gorgeous kids for a holiday is something we just dont get to do.
They are the most amazing children on the planet and with my daughter doing her hsc haveing major mouth surgeory and being in braces for 2 years after being bullied for her teeth since she was 9, she is amazing. So there is the real deal, the love of my life has worked and we have done it all alone financially and are still doing it that way. no miracle thousands in the mail, nothing, but plenty of love from close friends and some family.
Why do we deserve a holiday as a family, well i think we do because through this all we are still very close even more i think and we appreciate everything we get. Hsc over end of the year sunning it up on dunk island with the kids would be a welcomed break to the end of the year, i want to go snorkelling with them, lay around the pool and eat and drink yummy food. my son would absolutely love the water trampoline and snorkelling, i would love to kayak with my lovely hubby. my daughter she will chill i know she will, like a lounge lizard she will not get off the day bed. 4 adults 3 cnildren well my hubby my 2 kids and my gorgeous sister in law and her hubby she has always been there for me i love her to death. so there you go thats the unedited version, a good novel i think dont you. the good part of this novel is that its not finished the best is yet to come……
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I have given much thought to the concept of this particular “prize” since I commented in an emotional response to a particular MM reader/writer’s entry.
I stand by the comments – there is a family well-deserving of such a holiday.
And reading others’ posts makes a caring person want to vote for them ( I did too) because who ISNT deserving?
But, I am uncomfortable about the “pick me” and “singling out” of particular known and not so well known MMers, in order to VOTE that person & family to be seek
Yes, Mia and Lana, you both make the point about “it’s not about who we pity or feel
sorry for “(my paraphrasing) & Dunk Island judges will determine the winner based on a number of stated criteria.
That’s all I need to say – it’s Mia’s blog, and the competitions and giveaways are needed as we’ve been told before to “keep the blog going”.
wishing everyone who has put their entry in, all the luck in the world..at least there’ll be one of you enjoying what sounded like “heaven on earth”
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To give you some back-story, I will activate the flux capacitor and set the coordinates to June 2003. This story begins here and what leads me to enter this competition.
June 2003 – I was sitting at my desk at a car leasing company in Epping inputting copious amounts of data into an IBM computer when I had an epiphany – I saw myself sitting at that same desk, aged 65, still inputting that data, only now, breaking every 15 minutes to rub arthritic cream into my joints. I got out of my chair, walked into the bosses’ office, and resigned on the spot. Driving home that day I realised I was going to have to sell the car (I still miss my SSS Pulsar). I arrived home and drove to my girlfriend’s house and told her I’d quit my job – “I need to find fulfilment, not just money”. To my surprise, she agreed.
The next morning I called Ourimbah uni and asked what must’ve sounded like a silly question, “how do you get into uni?” The lady told me that a bridging course began in a week’s time and all I had to do was pay $125 and I was in.
That weekend, I proposed to my girlfriend who, despite a boyfriend who just quit his job and enrolled in uni, said yes. Lucky for me, she didn’t care for diamond rings cos money can’t buy you love (thank you Mr. McCartney).
Between 2003 and 2007, I was enrolled in a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts degree, attending uni 3 or 4 days a week, working at Bunnings on weekends, painting houses and writing songs in my spare time. In amongst all this, here is my wife, working 5 days a week as a Kindergarten teacher to support us both.
The first four years of our marriage were amazing. Financially tight, but amazing. Our first rental property ended up with a visit to the Rental Tribunal after the real estates’ attempt at fixing a short-circuiting stove was to run an extension cord through a sink of water.
Paydays went like this; “I’ll pay for my petrol, phone and uni text books – honey, you pay the rest”. Some weeks though, even the petrol she paid for.
Obviously, holidays were something that we never entertained the idea of having; well, not until I finished uni and got a full-time job. “baby, when I get a full-time job, I’m taking you to Europe”.
I finished uni in 2007 which also meant I finished at Bunnings – or so I thought. A full-time teaching job didn’t quite arrive as quickly as I would’ve liked. So I worked as a casual teacher five days a week and kept up my Bunnings job on weekends. And in my spare time, kept writing songs. I saved every penny I could so I could take her on her dream holiday to Europe. The day before we left I applied for a teaching job at Warnervale. We landed in Rome and I had a message on my phone – “can you make an interview for next week?” Calls back and forth to Australia with the school and my in-laws meant my interview would be the day after we got back. Sweet.
Suffice to say, I landed the gig. Yahoo! Bye bye Bunnings (although I can credit them with my expert knowledge of the paint department and colours to suit every taste).
Two years on, and I have the most amazing class of ten year olds any teacher could ever hope for. And my wife you ask? Well, she’s on maternity leave from her Kindy class of 22 kids, to look after the most important kid of all – ours. Lily was born in March this year. She’s so awesome, my Lily.
And what about those songs? Well, my CD is on iTunes – Christopher Stuart; In Colour Dream. Yet, another sacrifice my wife made so that her husband can be a rockstar – “one day, baby I’ll have a hit, I promise”.
So why do I want to win this amazing holiday? Well, I’m pretty sure you can see why. My wife is the most amazing, gifted, beautiful and inspiring person I have ever meet. I want to win this trip for her. And you know what? Even if I don’t win, I can always go back to Bunnings on weekends and keep trying to write that one big hit song.
Finally, with everything the island has to offer, it’ll be the plane trip in that “small plane” that will give my wife the first of many experiences the holiday would provide and years and years of story telling fodder as she sees my face as the plane takes off. If you meet her, ask her about our honeymoon and our flight to Queensland. I don’t do planes very well.
“Does he get motion sickness?” asks the stewardess as she passes me another sick bag.
“I don’t know”, she replies, wiping away tears, “we’ve only been married 2 days!”
7 years on, the story never dies…..
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This story is a real keeper. Well done Chris!@
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I know exactly who I’d like to take on this holiday…apart from my husband, and our kids, of couse. I’d like to take the couple who looked after my husband for six of the worst months of his life last year, and their three gorgeous children…and who have become pretty much our best friends.
This couple, with their children, are full time volunteers at the drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre where my husband lived for six months last year. We were separated at the time – his life was a mess. He’d had a breakdown, lost his business and become an alcoholic. This was after he had been my carer as I went through cancer in 2003….he’s has a big few years, you could say. I thought when he went away to rehab that our marriage, and our life as a family, was over. I shook his hand at the gate and wished him well, and I thought the next time I’d see him would probably be either in the family courts for a divorce, or else in a morgue, with a counsellor helping me deal with his suicide.
At the same time he went into the rehab, this couple and their kids decided to interupt their caravan holiday travelling around Australia to check out the volunteer staff position at the rehab centre. It was a week after my estranged hubby’s 40th birthday when they decided to stick around and see if they could do some good at the rehab. My hubby was allocated to their dinner table. Of the couple, the husband worked side by side with my man, while the wife befriended me on my visits to bring our son for access. Slowly, my husband and I were able to rebuild our relationship as he yielded to treatment and to the work of the guys at the rehab. This couple were a major part of our being able to get our family back together. And they did it without ever recieving one cent of financial renumeration.
The rehab is a volunteer facility. Staff donate their time and pay their own expenses. This couple, like the other staff, have used their personal savings to fund their time at the centre. Without their investment in us – emotionally, spiritually, physically and relationally – we would never have been reconciled or restored.
My hubby came home in December and hit the ground running. These guys have stayed with us, supporting us and doing life with us and our family, and nothing would blow us out more than to be able to give them a reward equal to the blessing they gave us. We’d love to see them and their kids blessed with this amazing holiday. We’d take them and find the money to pay for two of our own to come with us as well. We would most look forward to seeing this family spoiled the way they deserve, as they still work at the rehab as full time volunteers, helping other guys in the same situation as my hubby.
Thanks for giving us the possibility to give back to them a gift as incredible as the one they have given us – a family restored, a man brought back to his life, and another chance at happiness.
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Wow, What an inspiring story. Thanks for sharing that.
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What an incredibly awesome story. I was brought to tears to read that such devastation to a family can be reversed by the the love, dedication and kindness of others. What an inspiration to all.Thankyou for taking the time to bless other people with your family’s life story and hopefully to bless those wonderful people who have become your dearest friends.I hope and pray that your marriage and lives become richer and stronger.I am sure that this story encourages us all to be like your friends.Thankyou Vanilla Fridge Wipe.
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Awesome. I really hope you guys win this one! After all, life is more than just bracing against the storms…everyone goes through crap, but not many rise above it! You guys, and the couple who helped definitely deserve a good holiday! xo
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Well i sit here and wonder do i tell you all my trials for the last 8 years and get a lot of sympathy or do i just tell you the great things. Well great things won….
I have the most amazing, loving, hard working husband in the world whom i adore, we are married 25 years in january 2010. I have a beuatiful daughter who is just finishing her hsc and has been the opposite of what people say about hsc she has been an angel. I have a son who with his clothes on the floor in the room he shares with his sister, his farting and stupid jokes is the best son a mother could ask for. A sister in law Kelly who i am so blessed to have in my life, she is loud, gorgeous, drinks too much at parties but when the rubber hits the road is always there for me, her husband is a wonderful brother to his brother my husband.A brother who inspires me everyday, a sister who lovingly encourages me in her small ways, and a nephew who makes me smile, a mum and dad who i love dearly..oh and girlfriends wow i am so blessed to have the friendships i do, writing this made me realise. Why i want to win a holiday, to spend time with the most amazing cherised people in my life who have been the wind beneath my wings… just choosing the ones to take is the hardest decision…. they are all amazing.. well first and foremost my love of my life my hubby, the other 2 loves of my live my children the rest will follow i expect…
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We would so love a holiday. I can’t remember the last holiday we had that wasn’t visiting the in laws interstate or shivering in a tent on a weekend away. I love my in laws – but sleeping on the fold out couch and catching up with family is not my ideal holiday. Nor is sleeping on the ground and coming home with a mountain of wet and smelly people and clothes.
Actually my ideal holiday would be on a tropical island, days swimming in the sea and lounging by the pool. Taking a walk up to see the farm animals with our 5 year old, a play at the playground, a rainforest walk or a guided tour. My husband would love to go off mountain bike riding, diving or snorkelling. I would feel blissful after an afternoon at the spa while the boys hang out together exploring the beaches. Top that off with a 24 hr escape to a private island, just me and him, a chance to reconnect and indulge ourselves. And a chance to catch up with some lovely friends and their 2 little ones who we don’t see nearly enough as we live in different states. Oh wait …… Sounds like my ideal holiday is on Dunk Island.
Since our son was born I have dreamt of a family holiday that didn’t involve a tent or a fold out bed. We don’t have it too bad, we both work hard to pay our mortgage and keep our family together. Money is tight at the moment, nerves are a little frayed. I occasionally lie awake at night and worry that we won’t hold it together. I often lie awake in bed at night and dream of a holiday.
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Honestly – this is primarily a selfish entry to give myself, my husband and two gorgeous girls a holiday. But, in redemption of my greed, I would love to bring my sister in-law, her husband, and their daughter. They’ve had four long, gruelling years of infertility and IVF treatments since their wedding, and have yet to have a honeymoon by themselves. While my own family doesn’t NEED it, they really do, and they really deserve that night on Bedarra while we babysit!
My days since reading of this competition have been filled with the reasons of why we would love to go, some of them are;
Daydreaming in deckchairs
Ulysses butterflies in flight, causing squeals of delight
Nurturing family bonds, cousin companionship
Kootaloo calling to unwind tense muscles
Beachside cocktails well past sunset
Early mornings passing by with nowhere to rush to
Drinking in warmth as the sun seeps through skin
Adventures of the watersport kind
Riding on horseback through pristine forests
Romantic getaway to reconnect and nurture
Amazing experience of a lifetime.
Thanks
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Okay, tell me I’m not the only one completely obsessed with this competition… I keep checking back, reading everyone’s comments, I’m dreaming about it at night, daydreaming about it during the day – hurry up and end and put me out of my misery!
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For me, this holiday is about reconnecting with family in a relaxed and beautiful setting. My husband and I can take some time away from the rigours of trying to sell our home and the stresses of work. The children can experience nature at its most beautiful. They can swim, build sand castles and frolic along the beaches. My parents would love some relaxation time away from the bowls club. Three generations enjoying a relaxing, sun filled holiday surrounded by natural beauty. Ahhh, I’m feeling relaxed just thinking about it…
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I would love to win this holiday for my mother. A few months ago my mother was diagnosed with cancer and rapidly went downhill. She ended up in excruciating pain, unable to sleep, eat, do anything. Prior to this she was actively involved in her grand-daughter’s life. Suddenly she was even unable to cope with a visit from her energy filled grand-daughter. She has missed her grand-daughter greatly and my daughter has missed her grand-mother.
Anyway, due to stuff ups (not one but many) my mother didn’t get to see a specialist for a long time, which has prolonged her getting help. Finally today, after months of waiting, she had her first operation and there is still another to come. Thankfully the prognosis at the moment is very good and she is expected to fully recover.
It would be so lovely to go away all together once she is well again, so she could spend some quality time with her grand-daughter, something she and my daughter have missed greatly.
So I would take my mother and daughter or course. My gorgeous hubby and my brother (who has been totally caring for my mother while she is sick).
I would love the time away with my husband on Bedarra Island – the uninterrupted sleep and time together. We can’t remember what life was like together pre-kids! I’d leave my daughter with my mother for a night for them to enjoy quality time. I would love long walks on the beach with my mother and daughter. I would love to get massages with my mother. I love swimming and the farm is something my daughter would love. I’d love to read, relax and not have to cook most of all.
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Nothing would be better in my families lives right now than a little holiday….Just a little one, its all I ask…its simple really…That would be …ahhh…just lovely
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