Festive Frolics

Christmas Day itself was pretty quiet. It was dull and raining most of the day, so we had to forego any thoughts of a festive swim. Which I'm sure will please everyone back home.

Boxing Day however was a different story. Headed down to Avalon Beach, after finding Palm Beach and Whale Beach absolutely mobbed. Had a bit of a swim, or random floating mainly which cleared some cobwebs away.

Then headed down to the Newport Arms for a celebratory pint. Gareth was working on Christmas day so we thought it would be good to make up for it today.


This is more like how I pictured an Aussie Christmas. Sitting in the shade trying not to fry, cricket on the big screen, and nachos for tea.
We then headed off to Mandy's workplace for staff drinks (after I thrashed everyone at pool). Tex Mex, Mona Vale - purveyors of very fine Margaritas. They keep Mandy happy so there is no higher recommendation.

Several Margaritas and some sickly sweet shots of something or other later we left and tried to catch the late bus to Avalon.
Buses in the Northern Beaches are a rare enough thing, but at 3am on Boxing Day they're like the proverbial 'rocking horse s**t'.

Taxis are even more of a rarity. Makes Edinburgh look like the taxi capital of the world.
For some reason they just don't like coming up the peninsular at all. Which has led to a lot of drink driving in the area.

After over an hour of waiting, in which time we considered sleeping in the restaurant, a taxi came by and we almost threw ourselves in front of it to get it to stop.

Bed was rarely so welcome.