As I wrote previously, Christmas/ New Year is an incredibly busy time in the camping world. Team it with it being the kids summer holidays here in Australia, we were expecting to struggle when it came to accommodation but were so lucky in finding Alstonville Showgrounds.
We had already decided that our Christmas Day MUST feature a BBQ and a beach, so finding Alstonville just a 20 minute drive away from a 4 wheel drive beach access track was a blessing!

Now, anyone that knows me knows that I love Christmas – its such a magical time of year and I thoroughly love buying gifts and surprises for those I love. I love the cold weather and the hats/scarfs/boots. I love the roaring fires and twinkly lights and hot chocolate. I love it all.
I was, however, fully ready to embrace my first hot Christmas abroad, on a beach.
The day itself started with a phone call home – an emotional phone call home because Mumma was emotional and that always sets me off but I was still determined to enjoy myself.
Our Christmas/Boxing Day alongside our beloved Pam on the beach involved delicious Kangaroo Steaks, prawns, mince pies, sandman making, beach walks and sunburn.
It was a wonderful few days, spent enjoying the sun, sea and food and although very different to Christmas at home, it was a wonderful experience.
I think the simplicity of the day allowed us to reflect on some of lifes simple joys too:
Seeing dog feet in the sand (Dogs always look so happy at the beach, so a paw print must have come from a dog thoroughly enjoying themselves) makes me happy.
For Dave, warm sand under your feet and warm water rushing around your ankles makes him happy.

 

 

After spending 3 days solidly at the beach, it was time to depart the wonderful Alstonville, so after ANOTHER day at the beach, we headed inland to a free camp with hot showers and a decent view – only to get there and it be closed because it was full. Damn. A quick wikicamps search bought us back to our ever faithful Nimbin, just 20 minutes away. However, this time, we sampled the local camp, closer to town and with a free POOL! And much like our first trip to Nimbin, there isn’t much to report on other than a lot of resting and relaxing (my body has NOT been behaving recently) because as People under the Stairs sing: “What else is there to do besides relax?” – brilliant song/band by the way, Acid Raindrops, go listen!
New Year highlights:

• Free swimming pool
• Desmond the 12 week old Heeler puppy
• Meeting our Kiwi friends, Estelle and Tom and enjoying their kiwi slang – “churrrr’ being one of them!
• My favourite little dog from Nimbin Showground, Pip, found out she was pregnant!
• Watching my sister open her birthday presents on FaceTime – Happy Birthday Al Baby xxx
• Seeing in the new year with new friends, in our hammock
• Someone letting off fireworks on New Years Day
• Nimbin Rocks

 

This holiday period may have been spent thousands of miles away from our families whilst being very slow, peaceful and quiet but I wouldn’t have wanted to have spent it anywhere else with anyone else other than with my husband. His love, support and understanding, not just over the holidays but all day, everyday is truly a blessing to me and I thank the powers that be that I get to spend another year chasing the sun, the moon and the stars around our beautiful earth, with him. He makes me see the beauty and the fun in the big things as well as the little, everyday things too.

Merry Christmas and here is to a happy, healthy, fun, laughter filled 2019.
Thank you for coming along on this crazy journey with us.