HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Twas a little strange waking up here in St Kilda on Christmas morning, but we were able to carry out the traditional activities of exchanging presents and opening cards including e-cards, albeit it on a much smaller scale than usual.

Less traditional was the very good cooked breakfast at Roy’s a few minutes down the road - eggs Benedict for Dave and smoked salmon, grilled mushrooms, hash browns and cheese on toast for me.

The amble on the sand and paddle in the sea were even less traditional, but no less enjoyable for that.

Dave continued in happy mode as he drank everyone’s good health twice!

Jean

A Christmas first

My first ever Xmas in the Southern Hemisphere after 63 years. Sun still shining at 8.30 pm local and forecast up to 34C for tomorrow’s test match between Australia and South Africa.

Superb Xmas dinner with old friend and Reuters colleague Greg Stutchbury and his mum and dad Lorraine and Mick in Greg’s flat at South Yarra where we stayed for a few days in early November.

Great pleasure to meet up and we hope to see Lorraine and Mick again tomorrow as they also have tickets for the cricket.

Fears there would be no public transport or taxis to get us from our hotel to Greg’s flat proved groundless. Melbourne transit ran a full Sunday service and what’s more the whole network, as on Xmas Eve, was free. Compare England with its border-line useless transport arrangements on the great day and beyond. Dave