Day Twenty-Seven - 17/12/25

Day 27 started much like most days lately. I was up early and headed out for a run, knocking out 6 km, a bit longer than usual. It was hot as, so as soon as I got back it was straight into the pool to cool down.

I had a fair bit of work to get through, so I’d already decided I wouldn’t be joining the day trip. After breakfast with everyone, I settled in and got stuck into work. It ended up being a big day, about eight and a half hours all up which definitely took its toll in a different way.

The rest of the group headed off mid-morning to Starfish Beach, which sounded absolutely incredible. Kia said it was insanely picturesque. Boardwalks, jetties, houses on stilts, starfish everywhere in the water, spots to jump off, swim, and explore. One of those places that feels straight out of a postcard.

But by the afternoon, things unravelled a bit for the kids, especially Emmett. After swimming, he was playing near the water when another boy accidentally splashed him. That tipped him over the edge. He got upset, pushed the kid, and things escalated a bit. Emotions running high, tired bodies, overstimulation. Nothing serious, but definitely a moment where the wheels came off.

I think the pace of the trip is starting to catch up with Emmett. The big days, the heat, the constant stimulation. By the end of days like this, he’s completely spent. The bus ride home was apparently pretty rough. Kia said he was acting much younger than usual, really hungry and thirsty, and just totally done. She didn’t have snacks with her, which didn’t help.

She called me just as I’d wrapped up work for the day and asked me to grab dinner for them and a few other families to take one thing off everyone’s plate. I jumped on the scooter, headed down to one of our favourite spots, ordered food, waited around, and then brought everything back.

By the time everyone was back, we were all exhausted in our own ways. We had a quick dinner, got the kids into bed, and called it an early night. No mucking around.

Emmett has had a few tough moments on this trip, but this was probably the biggest one so far. It’s a good reminder that these big adventures aren’t all glamour and highlights. There are teething problems, tired kids, emotional overloads, and lessons along the way. We’ll need to think about how to manage the pace a bit better for him moving forward.

All part of it.