One of the benefits of being a middle aged mama (and papa!) is that with our children grown and pretty much leading lives of their own, we get to go out on dates. Last week, we headed off to the Ekka (the Brisbane Show) – the first time I’d been since 1988 when we were just dating (26 years ago)!
Alas, we don’t have the stamina of our youth and found that four hours was more than enough for us to absorb and enjoy all the sights and sounds of the show – animals, monster trucks, sideshow alley (I have to say, none of the rides tempted me), food, cakes and crafts. We finished our day by buying showbags for the kids, much to their delight (they may be 20 and nearly 18, but you never outgrow the excitement of showbags!) …
I think 26 years is a pretty long time between visits to the Show – anybody out there able to beat my record?!
Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday.
Since moving to Perth we have headed off to the show each year. It’s always around my birthday and it’s a tad more low key and manageable than Sydney. We make a huge day/night of it but I tend to sit in the one spot and watch the arena after a certain point while the girls and their dad hit sideshow alley and gather show bags.
I’ve never been to Ekka but I think my hubby went to World Expo 1988 in Brisbane.
I wish I’d have the patience for quilt making too.
I’m sure you’ve been though to whatever the Show is called in your neck of the woods!
My partner is a Queenslander and he speaks very affectionately about his days at the Ekka growing up. Looks like fun. We have the Royal Show here in Perth, and I can’t remember the last time I went, but am sure as the kids get bigger they will want to go.
I was a chicken and never took our kids. They ended up going when they were teenagers – my son with some mates, my daughter with her cousin!
My parents went last week and I have NEVER been, but I’m a Kiwi so can be forgiven right? Only lived in SE Qld since 2006, I’ll get there once the kids are older, I PROMISE!
I think you’d have to be very brave to go with kids – hence why I never did!
I can’t remember the last time I went, in WA it’s called the Royal Show, in NZ it’s called the Easter show for obvious reasons. Wondering if you really let your hair down and went on the rides. Frankly I wouldn’t as I like all my bits and bobs settled in the right place xx
Definitely didn’t go on any rides this time around, though I did go on the Octopus when I was a young thing!
My hubby cannot resist a dagwood dog when he’s at the show, he’s like a kid in a lolly shop at show time. Love that 7 news shot 🙂
Haha yes we are trying our best to look like serious newsreaders 😉
I would say it has been around 20 years since I last took the little ones to the Ekka. I loved every minute of it, especially the baby animals and the fashion parade (where I could sit and rest my weary feet!) I actually wanted to go this year, but I couldn’t talk hubby into it. 🙁
That’s the one thing I wanted to see but missed – the fashion parade 🙁 . They are only held 11am, 12pm and 1pm and it was after 1pm by the time we figured out where to find them!
I try to take my kids to the local one every year because there’s just nothing much to do in our little country town and it’s pretty much the biggest thing we have here! (PS we don’t even have a cinema!)
We used to take our kids to the local (Redlands) show – similar to the Ekka but much smaller in scale. I just couldn’t face the thought of dealing with all the crowds with little ones/prams in tow!
I grew up in Brisbane and used to visit Ekka with my friends. While my friends are more crazy about getting show bags I love playing with farm animals. I live in city all my life so it was fun getting close encounters with animals.