Saturday 14 December

After breakfast, there was the dressing up session for our sleigh ride: so many layers, including ski over-pants and ridiculously large snowboot clodhoppers! Steve had kindly shovelled the driveway and brushed the car down – there’s a brush kept in the back of the car and each time you go out you need to brush the loose snow off the windows and roof of the car. 

Yes, lots more snow today. The snow plough didn’t clear our street because it’s not a school day (there’s a school at the end of the street). The boughs on the big trees are started to drop lower with their growing weight of snow.

Incidentally, you don’t need a flashy looking car here – every car is covered in snow residue on boots, bonnets, all down the back of the boot, and then all around the wheels and underneath is the dirty grey salt mud that picks up from the road. Imagine a car that’s been off-road in Oz and not washed for six months – just as dirty! Much of the time you can’t even read the car rego plate.

Off we went, about a 25 minute drive to the farm shop where the rides start. The neighbouring farmer who does the sleigh rides drove up with the two horses and hitched them to the sleigh.

(Pictures taken through a window and flyscreen - too cold to go outside until it's time for the ride!)

Blankets were spread on top and Dianne and I climbed up with a family of two adults and two little girls, squealing with delight.

As we trotted off, the bells started to jingle on the harnesses – so Christmassy! We headed downwards and as we went past the cow pen, the cows (looking very cold) all came running down because they were excited by the horses.

Further along the path in the bush, we started singing Jingle Bells and other Christmas songs. It was just lovely being out there but the wind was very cold blowing on our faces. It was a half-hour ride and lots of fun.