A Tropical Christmas

    24/12/2011
  Christmas Eve in the tropics …. WOW.  We managed to find a car parking space at the supermarket, it was absolutely manic, but we now have enough essential supplies to last for a few days.
 Barrys blistered feet are a bit of a mess and will keep him out of the sea for a while which is a pity.  Jane and I walked to the stinger net for a swim this arvo then came back to the pool for a swim. The Christmas Eve plan originally was to go up to Apres at Palm Cove on the bus for a few beers with the Dunns and the Mackennas, but we Poms had a committee meeting and decided to stay behind here and have a superior BBQ with Wagyu rump steak. If you don’t know what that is, try googling it.  It’s probably the tastiest steak on the planet, enough to turn a Veggies head! I have to say I cooked it to perfection. The Aussies had a nice time at Palm Cove but came back and joined us and came to the conclusion a night with the Poms was maybe the better option.

  25/12/2011
  Christmas Day and what a day. It started with us all going down to the stinger net for an early morning swim ( photos to follow!) then back here for bacon butties and bucks fizz. The exchange of presents was a hoot as Jane had been going on about getting a bike to go shopping. With that in mind I bought a helmet (compulsory here) , Phil and Julie presented her with a basket to go on a bike. Then later she was presented with a pink bike, a huge surprise to her! Glyn and Alana were involved in doing it up as it is second hand, or pre-loved as they say here.  It’s quite smart, if just a touch rusty in places.
  We had lunch on the beach, 10 of us altogether. Lunch started with oysters, lobster pasties, and other goodies, followed by ham, lobster, prawns, coral trout, chicken and some green tack (various salads!) , with cake and fruit to follow. The lobster and coral trout were provided by Kevin Ranger, our  friend who is or has been the Australia and world champion spear fisherman. He still wins competitions and fishes for the table  now even though he is in his late 60’s.
 A very different Christmas lunch but truly amazing. All day long people were coming and going and having a drink with us, a very sociable sort of a day.
 Our skype link to the U K wasn’t up to much as our computer battery has a very limited  life and needs to be plugged into the mains. We took it over to the beach but it died on us after a few minutes, so we didn’t really get to chat.  Didn’t talk to family due to technical probs their end which was disappointing.
 Not sure what time we finished, as you can imagine, by the end of the day everything was seen through an alcoholic haze, true Aussie style!
 
 26/12/2011
 We, or should I say Barry, has set up a little scenario whereby we follow the Boxing Day hunting tradition as we have done in the U K over the years at Upton House. Barry provided the stirrup cup (port) , fruit cake, a hunting horn and a fluffy fox.  A stuffed imitation to keep any antis from jumping up and down. I introduced the proceeding to our Aussie  guests, just 6 of them, as Whipper In. Barry was the Huntmaster and Jane was the Hunt servant and blower of the horn, ( as she was the only one who could do it!) We stood around as we do in the U K but today in the height of summer. 35C, drank the port and ate the cake and explained to our colonial cousins what they are missing by not hunting the fox. I think some of it made sense.
 For a short while after we watched the test match on T V from Melbourne (Australia v India) and guess what…….it rained!
 The remainder of the day we spent having a pool party at Glyn and Alanas. Lots of delicious grub, loads of booze,  swimming in the pool with Bill the dog. Even Barry sat with his feet in the pool, it’s so very hot.
  So that is Christmas over, now we can get on  with showing Barry around this fantastic part of the world. Here in Far North Queensland we are guaranteed wet, hopefully we can see what we want to before it really sets in.