ianbee: this is instead of getting a dog

Camping photos

Someone trying to catch lizard for lunch. Unsuccessfully.

An amazing campfire. Made not because we were cold or needed to cook things, but because we were men.

Unspoilt beach, turquoise sea, cloudless sky and mysterious wooded islands presumably playing host to plane-crash survivors and retro-bunkers

Sydney to Hobart

I have been looking forward to today for ages, since even before I came to Australia. The Sydney to Hobart yacht race launches from the harbour each year on Boxing day. Over one hundred boats travel down the New South Wales coastline and into the Bass Strait, which separates the Australian mainland from Tasmania, arriving into Hobart after several days of sailing. It is an fearsome race, ten years ago six sailors died after a 'weather bomb' devastated the fleet. You have to be fit and practised and very brave.

I have read books on the race, I have gazed in awe at the boats moored up at the yacht clubs. Today I woke early (eight thirty - early for Boxing day!) packed a picnic and was at St George's head sitting on a rug and surrounded by Christmas cake and fudge three hours before the start time so I could get a good view. Helicopters darted overhead and every boat, barbeque and beach chair in Sydney appeared along the course.

It was an exciting start. The huge yacht with the red number seven on it went out ahead, the one with the blue sails following closely behind. The smaller boats made up the rearguard, but there is a complex handicap system which evens out the field in terms of size and sail area, so anyone can win. You can follow the race as it progresses here.
 

Detritus

Christmas Downunder

Happy Christmas! Thank for my cards, presents and wishes! I have just got back from my Christmas swim, the roast is in the oven and I will soon be settling down to an evening of Pixar films ... hope your day is as excellent!

No children involved

A warm, muggy Christmas has finally kicked in at my flat ... I assure you that no children were involved in the making of this mess. The biscuit below and to the right of the snowman is the bit that is left over when there is not enough dough remaining to fit in a cutter. It was creatively shaped into a dog but the head fell off.

Egg eating lizard

I'm just back from a camping trip up North, somewhere called Mungo. Sounds like a womble. Anyway, it was great. The campsite was in a wood and we were surrounded by wildlife. Possums, dingos and a couple of hungry guanas. And lots of mosquitos. We went fishing and I caught three. It was my first time ever fishing (apart from catching mackerel off a boat), and I'd been leant a rubbish left-hand extending rod. When the first fish bit everyone gathered round and patted me on the back. The second I got some grudging acknowledgement. The third was reeled in and I was actively ignored. No-one else caught a fish all day. I think they all hated me.

I'll stick some photos up later, in the meantime here's one of our friendly campsite lizards eating an egg ...

Three beaches and a hat and a helicopter

Here are a few recent photos, you can see my flat in the first, if you know where to look. The second was taken at Curl Curl Beach, about ten minutes drive north. The third is Chinaman's Beach, just round the corner. The next photo is of my new hat. I'm really excited because it's almost identical to my favourite hat which I lost in Leith shortly before I came out to Australia. You might think I won't get to wear it for a bit, but it can get pretty nippy here. The whole idea of Australia being hot is a bit of a myth. It might be hot in the middle, but it's certainly damp at the edges. In fact, my advice to anyone coming to Australia is "bring a jumper and a brolly". Finally there's a picture of a helicopter at dawn coming to rescue me.

 

Location, location, location

 I realise that I haven't yet told you about my new home. I moved here a few weeks ago. It is a real change from where I was living before, further from work but nearer everything else, including the sea and a fish'n'chips shop! This is my street on the left. If you look to the end of the road you can just about see the sea! Yes there is blossom. That's because it's spring here.

An Australian friend has gone to England to work and I have basically taken over his life; flat, pots, pans, etc. until he returns. (It's like a sinister movie - but don't worry, he's still alive.) It's a very generous arrangement and I'm very lucky; it is very difficult to find nice places to rent here. Especially in such a posh area - everyone's eyes widen when I say where I live. But my flat is in the scruffiest block of apartments in the neighbourhood, as evidenced by the amount of dents in our cars, the lack of CCTV and the large orange life-ring sitting in the car port. I think parents tell their children to run past and not make eye contact.

This is my car - held in trust whilst I am over here and he is over there. It is called the Silver Bullet and it is a 1990 Hyundai Excel. It is the first car I have ever owned. Really. The first. Ever. I have no idea how fast it goes because the speedometer in in Kph. It looks like I have crashed it into the wall in the photo, but that is actually how it is parked. It also looks like it has wet itself in excitement at being on my blog.

Snorkeling

I brought a cheap mask and snorkel today and swam from the beach at the end of my road. The water was cold when you first got in, but after a few minutes it was lovely. It was a really cheap mask which didn't really fit me, so I had to use my swimming goggles instead. That meant I had to hold my nose while snorkeling. And I didn't have any flippers; combined with just having one free arm meant that I was going pretty slowly. I only saw sand, sticks and the lower half of seagulls, but it was still very cool.