Christmas and Boxing Day

So you're probably thinking, spending Christmas at a beach has gotta suck. You don't have all the cold weather, snow, holly, miserable dogs dressed up in reindeer outfits, egg nog, 2 hour masses, blah blah. I thought that too but was wrong. I definitely miss the family, but 80 degree weather and sunshine pretty much ends all that. On Christmas day, from 12-5pm, there was a huge party here on Bondi Beach. It was actually overcast and windy, so most people laid out and bbq'd up on the grass hill. My flat mate and I actually sat near this guy pictured above. You can see he's buried in sand standing up. He was that way before I got there and was that way when I left an hour and half later. The ocean swim is quite a tradition and as cold as it was, it was fun as could be.

From there I went for Christmas dinner at my flatmate's parents house, which is a gorgeous house up in the Mosman hills (Northern suburb of Sydney) overlooking several beaches. Elliot got a remote control helicopter which he tried out in the house, and of course, as soon as it took flight, it landed smack down on the Mom's wine glass shattering it to pieces. Wine was everywhere...walls, counter. Everyone laughed and had 'no worries' (even though it was a vintage wine)! All part of the laid back culture I enjoy here. The next day (Dec. 26th) is Boxing Day, which is also a holiday. The big Sydney-Hobart (Tazmania) yacht race kicks off this day and we had an amazing view of that, which I added some pics of down below.

Well...holidays are over...back to work. It's a shame, the first thing I see when I open the newspapers is 1.) Paris Hilton's to-be inherited fortune was given to charity, and 2.) Jamie Lynn's Spears (Britney's 16 y.o. sister) is pregnant with some other guy's baby...some older executive that would face jail time for sure. Regardless, how is this news?!? There are so many more interesting things going on. Oh well, gotta run. Cheers!

Bondi Beach Christmas Day...overcast and chilly (65 degrees I'd guess). Locals have been saying this has been the oddest weather they have ever remembered.


My flat mate's family. The girl second to right is a family friend of his 2 sisters who are not pictured. The parents are hysterical. I could talk in the same unfiltered manner as I do my friends at home. Cursing included! haha.


Start of the Hobart race. You can see the DHL (yellow) boat (coming towards you) is over the line and thus got penalized. The large boat in front is Wild Oats, the winner the last 2 years and the favorite this year.


View behind me...