A very different Christmas - Vive la difference!

It is almost the end of January, and I haven't found time yet to write up something about our fabulous Christmas holiday in Australia.   This is mainly because Mummy was in Intensive Care at Southmead Hospital for much of our absence (thankfully my two sisters and brother were there for her) and now she is back on the ward,  we are keen to do our share of visits, which together with a backlog of Post, e-mails, and phone messages and much else, means that I am rather behind with everything.

We began our lovely long Christmas holiday with a family get-together at Jon and Sam's - SO good to have four of 'our five' together round the table, and it was an uproarious evening - Christmas tree and decorations, and much festive spirit.   After taking in a visit to Epping to see Ron and Annelies next day, Jon arranged to have us driven to London Airport the following day... thank you guys!

I had dreaded the long journey, but this time, travelling with Singapore Airlines it was a joy ( a five hour stopover in Singapore spent in and by a pool under the stars on the roof of the airport adding a luxury touch) , and we arrived  in Sydney in high good spirits, to be met by Jenny and Katy, whose 12th birthday it was that day (and who was looking sweet in the birthday dress we had sent).     Soon we were in the midst of all the pre-Christmas excitement, with invitations to parties at various friends of Jenny and Ally, and we even fitted in a visit to the famous QVB (Sydney's Harrods) for the children to meet with Father Christmas in the most sparkly grotto ever! - and afterwards walked down to Darling Harbour to join the carols round the Christmas tree all made of coloured lights -  in hot summer sunshine - so surreal!

Christmas Day turned out to be ALL that one could possibly imagine - the children's sacks in the morning followed by a breakfast of eggs benedict superb Jenny!) and delicious fresh fruits, then a short drive to nearby Balmoral Beach to join the crowds of people enjoying the hot sunshine (including a couple of policemen, complete with guns in holsters, parading along the prom wearing Father Christmas hats)- such a lovely festive atmosphere .   We returned to champagne, and caviare dip, and the sharing of presents from 'the tree' - lovely, lovely gifts, and finally at sunset we ate a traditional turkey dinner out on the terrace by the pool, surrounded by fairy lights and candles. Just fabulous!

On New Year's Eve we went to Balmain, on Sydney Harbour, where we spent the afternoon in the park, and wandering amongst the lovely cafes and boutiques, finally hoving to at the home of the parents of friends of Jenny's just some 100 yards from the bay.   There we met up with other friends and their children, and enjoyed champagne and a grand selection of canapes and dips before we all of us careered along the road to an Irish pub where we managed to ALL sit down at one huge table - 8 adults and I don't know how many children - and have a great meal together.    Then it was back to the house to watch the children's fireworks display at 9pm from the superb rooftop terrace - and then somehow time flew by as we drank, and chatted, and laughed until the BIG SHOW at midnight that was Sydney's welcome to 2012.   I have never experienced anything like it - words are just no enough to describe the colour, the noise, the sheer fabulousness of it all - added to which, the street below us, and the little park by the bay were filled with happy revellers - all shouting up 'Happy New Year' to us, and we were raising our glasses and yelling down to them.   SUCH FUN!

The weeks following were filled with one thrill after another.   We took two cars and all drove up to Morag and Danny's beach house on Boat Harbour - a really beautiful sandy bay.   Six adults and seven children - the children sleeping in a huge tent in the garden - where we saw a koala bear in a tree just across the road, and a goanna ( a huge 5ft long lizard) climbed up and rested in a tree in their own garden.   Lovely to meet up with Morag again, and we also visited her at the Clinic where she works as a physiotherapist at nearby Nelson Bay,, when Jenny and Ally surprised us by booking a further two nights at a hotel there for just the two of us!  That was idyllic, our own balcony overlooking the marina and blue sea beyond, and time to wander and explore .

There are SO many memories of happy times - two visits to Taronga Zoo (the pelicans and gulls pictured were though, photographed 'wild' by the Hawkesbury River); a super super evening at an open-air cinema right across the water from the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, where there was lavish food on offer, and glamorous cocktail bars, and the giant screen emerged seemingly from the water to great fanfares.(this was just one of their Christmas gifts to us - an evening we'll never forget, seeing scenes of Windsor Castle, and London streets, against the backdrop of beautiful Sydney Harbour by night);  lovely beaches where Jenny provided THE most amazing picnics; a local vintage market where Jenny, Katy and I bought books, jewelry, and clothes for next to nothing; shopping expeditions;  having my face made up, and hair styled by Katy - what a giggle;  teaching the children to play cribbage which turned out to be a great favourite;  having a baking session with Katy and teaching her to make pastry by hand - she turned out a delicious apple pie;  Grandad teaching Will to make 'music' with cupped hands and a leaf(!), seeing my first kangaroo (and enjoying barbecued kangaroo served by Ally) ..... and much MUCH else.

Port , cheese and fruit on the terrace late into the night.

At Bondi Beach.

A

Their gorgeous pool seen through our balcony (the boys playing on their inflatable look so small!)

Above all we SO much enjoyed getting to know not only the children all over again, but being able to spend time with Jenny and Ally after so long away.    They made us SO very welcome, giving up their huge bedroom with its dressing room and luxury bathroom to us (whilst they squeezed on a sofa-bed in the study - that was SO good of you both!) , and Jenny went to ENORMOUS trouble to provide the most delectable, delicious, and unusual meals - all  beautifully and artistically served.

All in all, we were spoilt rotten, and given a holiday to remember - and how!

THANK YOU ALL for absolutely everything.    We had a fantastic time - which now, back in wet dull January in England, seems like a marvellous mirage, a very warm and happy memory, and the most perfect end to our Golden Year.