Shangrila Leisure Farming

Craig's Dad kind of wishes this place had a proper English name because it is a nice little hobby farm/tourist trap ...... without being tremendously attractive. Or, at least, it is better than the English name would suggest without actually being very good. Last year, Craig's Mum's university classmates held their once a year reunion at Flying Cow Ranch. This year, Craig was strapped into his car-seat nice and early ready for the drive to Shangrila Leisure Farming.


Upon arrival, almost the first thing Craig found was the duck pond. Craig liked the ducks a lot and spent plenty of time sitting there watching the ducks swim back and forth.


Other kids that belonged to the group brought food for the ducks most of which was eaten by the fish in the pond.


Craig giggled like a mad thing whenever food was thrown into the pond for the animals.


Then, while the other kids played with some interesting looking shoes, Craig kicked a ball with his Dad.


At lunchtime, all the other kids went inside to eat in air-conditioned comfort but Craig's cost-conscious parents ate a boxed lunch outside. Craig didn't mind at all because he could spend more time looking at the ducks.


But it was very, very hot outside, and it seemed a bit anti-social as well, so Craig's Mum and Dad dragged Craig away from the ducks and went into the dining room and had coffee while everyone else finished their lunch.


Through the dining room windows was a lovely view that featured a couple of big, beautiful spiders.


Craig's Mum must be very good looking because Craig and his parents received an upgrade on their room and Craig's Dad can't think of any other reason why that happened. They were put in Shangrila's version of the Presidential Suite and that cannot be a bad thing. The room featured a lovely little swinging seat.


All the other kids came in to play for a while.


It's a shame Craig's Dad's pictures are so blurred because the kids had a really good time on the seat.


Not long later everyone went for an afternoon walk through the farm (perhaps orchard would be a better description) where Craig decided he had to follow the bigger kids across a log-step thingy. That was a very difficult test of Craig's Mum's balance. She did very well.


One reason to praise Craig's Mum performance was the light rain that was falling at the time that made some of the logs a little bit slippery. After getting off the log-thingy, Craig insisted on holding the big umbrella that Craig's Mum had borrowed from the farm. That left Craig's Mum and Dad with one small folding umbrella while Craig demanded that he be allowed to handle the big umbrella himself. Luckily it was only very light rain.


At least Craig made sure that the umbrella didn't blow away.


And, it did come in handy when Craig stopped for a rest.


Craig's Dad thought the first picture he took of Craig lying down wasn't very good so he moved the big ugly chair out of the way and tried to take a second picture from a better angle. Craig then ruined several efforts to take a nicer photo.


The walk through the drizzle continued with the bigger kids trying out another, much more difficult walk.


It was too difficult for Craig to even think about trying.


Back at the duck pond, Craig insisted on sitting next to the ducks even though the rain had become much heavier.


Craig's parents finally convinced Craig to head back to the room and get out of the rain by bribing him with junk food!!!


Craig and Craig's Mum sat inside while Craig's Dad sat on the balcony to listen to watch the thunderstorm that was outside continue to build up.


The clouds cam down really low before the thunder and lightning started. Craig needed a hug or two when the noise was really loud but otherwise he was fine.