After leaving Yamba, We headed for Coffs Harbour and the Aussitel Backpackers Hostel. It felt very strange to be celebrating Christmas Eve so far from home and family and as we headed for Coffs, we all commented on how surreal it was. We got settled into the hostel and then phoned Damian and Carolyn Humphries, the Australians who had exchanged homes with the Kiryluks a few years earlier. They invited us over and we spent the afternoon getting reacquainted with them and their daughters, Kaya and Nikkia.

That night, we went to Christmas Eve Mass and it was interesting to hear it in Australian! After church, we picked up fish and chips and went to the jetty for supper. It was lovely and we enjoyed a walk under the near full moon of the Australian night. After our walk, we went back to the hostel, so the Humphries could try to convince their very excited daughters to go to bed. We ended the night with a game of cards and, miraculously, Santa had found us while we had been out. The kids wanted to open their gifts on the spot but we told them they had to wait. Despite their excitement, it was only a matter of minutes before they fell fast asleep.