We woke up today, like any other day, but it wasn't exactly like any other day, it was Christmas day and we were in Sydney, Australia! It was a very strange feeling, but a good one, because this year we were off to Bondi beach, to enjoy our Christmas feast of cheese and tomato sandwiches, with all the trimmings, of course.

The journey down to Bondi was a bit of a chore, but thanks to some very kind neighbours, we got a lift to the train station. It was immediately apparent on the platform that we were not alone in our choice of location, it looked like half the youth population of Sydney were out in force. So we all piled onto the train, Ronnie and I in the middle of a bunch of hyperactive teenagers, like the parents who'd lost control of their rather unruly kids!

After two trains and a bus ride we arrived, along with several thousand other people, who had joined together for a mass celebration on the famous Bondi Beach! There must have been every nationality there covering the beaches and every surrounding piece of grass land.

The beach was very well policed, there was even security randomly checking bags before allowing people on the beach as alcohol is prohibited. Hence the reason the surrounding grassland was also packed by those people who openly wanted to enjoy a drink.

It was a very surreal experiencing sitting on a beach on a boiling hot day surrounded by all sorts of Christmas rigalia including Christmas trees and people wearing Santa outfits.

I had also been an avid fan of Bondi Rescue, a reality TV show about the lives of the Bondi beach life savers. So I was quite excited to see H shouting at swimmers who had veered out of the safe area in his quite brash, yet fatherly way, it felt strangely familiar, yet so very surreal. It was a boiling hot day, the atmosphere was joyous, yet it was so restful and relaxing, this was a Christmas I am sure neither of us would forget.