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Published: January 8th 2016
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Happy Christmas!This is lovely, waking up to Melissa and she has even put on some Christmas songs to get us in the Christmas mood. There a number of pressies under the tree, mainly for Melissa thanks to all those sent over with me by the family - that's one less bag I need to go home with! Our pressies from Melissa are experiences including a day out on a motorbike for Martin with a guided tour by her friend and Melissa and me as pillions - I have to tell myself it'll will be fine! I have a tour with Melissa, another friend and visiting Mum to the Hunter Wine Valley tour - Martin had chosen to opt out - I don't drink wine, he says! We both have tickets for the Sidney Harbour bridge climb! It's going to be a busy week.After we open our presents there are still some left under
the tree, whose are those I ask? There from Emily for you but we are meeting her at the beach with her Mum and Nan so we are taking them down with us. This is so weird and it simply isn't Christmas.I watch Melissa getting ready for the beach and it reminds me of the trips we used to take to Cornwall to see my sister when the kids were young. Trips to the beach in the Marshall household was common place so packing the beach bag became a well practised art. The only difference was the contents, whereas Karen's beach bags contained bucket and spades, sandwiches and flasks of tea, this beach bag contained 3 bottles of bubbly, a photo booth pack and no food! After a leisurely breakfast we jump in a taxi and head for the beach. We are met with the epitome of an Australian beach sight of
a blond haired young lad playing a guitar with his own rendition of Ed Sheeran and it make me smile. All around there are groups of young people all out enjoying the sun with their friends. Some are engaging the Christmas spirit with hats (including us) but I can't help wondering where are all the families? Either the beach is made up of travellers whose friends become their families or it is normal for Australian youngsters to spend some or all of their Xmas day on the beach with their friends - I must ask my school friend Karen when I meet her next week. Karen's kids were born here so she will know.Melissa is keen to get straight in the sea, no messing so we head to the waves take the customary photos for FB. Martin Melissa and Emily get in the washing machine waves as Michelle and I watch from the safety of shallow water. <br style="color: font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;
-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961);" />We make our way back to camp to crack open the bubbly and dip into strawberries and sun melted Nutella. The Nutella was Emily's idea in lieu of a chocolate fountain - brilliant!We are there a couple of hours and I am wilting, when are we leaving I ask? Well it's twenty to three so let's go at three suggests Melissa. After 5 mins, I can't wait, I've got that 'I'm a celebrity, get me out of here' feeling as I say I am going to find the shade by the sea wall. It's ok, we're ready to go now replies Michelle and Maureen rather eagerly.We arrange to meet up again later for our Christmas dinner in an Irish bar near to where they are staying and head on home to shower and change. <br
style="color: font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961);" />We meet again at P J O'Briens, we're here for Christmas lunch but are handed wristbands like those given out at clubs, I will soon understand why. We are shown to our table upstairs for our pre-chosen 3 course meal. Upstairs has an open balcony to the ground floor and the music is blaring, you can't hear the other end of the table speak but it is really cheesy, sing along music such as Greece, Elton John mixed with a bit of Pink and so on and we soon get our singing voices exercised! After dinner, we make our way downstairs and it is one of those magic pubs which has secured the art of turning from a pub to a club in a matter of hours. Soon we are dancing and still singing along with all the other youngsters! Emily
and her family are off to New Zealand tomorrow for a few days tomorrow so we say goodbye to them and head home.It's been a great day and I will always remember the year we had Christmas in the sun with Melissa but it doesn't feel like Christmas. At first I think that it is the sun that makes it feel different but perhaps it's the lack of all of the kids, no Kyle, Polly, Joey, Tyler, Jess, Lucy, Jacob and Adam not to mention everyone else. We call home where it is Christmas morning, Mum is up to her eyes in getting Christmas dinner ready and Dad is out delivering a present. Martin's Mum is not answering FT and Lewis is working, where is everyone when you need them! We do however eventually get to speak to Lewis who is hoping to finish early to get to Charlie's Mums a little later. We arrange to call again to speak to Charlie and Skye later but this is not the same as sitting around a crowded
table with family, too many vegetables and crackers with really bad jokes!
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