Grace is 16!

We hiked in the National Park for Grace's birthday, per her request. It was a just-right hike - not too hard going, but enough that it was definitely not simply a walk in the jungle. There were more people than we expected being a mid week morning, but that was because we forgot that her birthday week is actually a rather large national holiday... We didn't get to visit the turtle conservation center because of that holiday also. But, the girls got to rock hop along the shore and Aiden and Mom got to swim at the beach.

The path at the beginning was smooth and easy along the beach front. We encountered a rather large monitor lizard there on the way home.

The path at the end went over a meromictic lake: both fresh and salt water that don't mix because of temperature differences. The tide comes into the lake on top of the colder mountain streams.

We almost didn't get home without an adventure when we couldn't find a ride and the bus wasn't due for another 40 min or so. Dad finally booked a Grab car just for 4 people. Grace and Mom stayed behind to take the bus/walk/explore... but then the car that came for the others actually was a 6 seater and agreed to pick them up too. So we all got home together. The plan was to get satay for supper on the way home, but, again because of the holiday, it was not to be found. So mom made shepherd's pie instead.

This was all on Wednesday, then on Thursday (the actual birthday day) we tried again for satay but everywhere was still closed. We did manage to have a successfully yummy cake with candles though. Success!