A game of “Bastard”, all four of us with ginger beer, banana chocolate cake and crisps and lots of laughter, fireworks across the estuary under the Southern Cross. Then we were first to say “Happy new year” to everyone. What a special New Year’s Eve.
The next day an absolutely stunning sunny day. Long Beach walk and I did it: I had a dip in the Southern ocean. Freezing cold but there’s me, naked, on one side New Zealand on the other side, about 4600 km away, the Antarctica. Bill had to follow… Then: two naked grown ups, two fully dressed kids and two sea lions on an empty, spotless clean beach…
Yes, this was (almost) worth that trip through hell…
As special as this day on the beach was, I wasn’t happy about having to go all the way back when I found out that I had lost a shoe on the way. But a little nap in between helped.
By the end of the day I had sunburned my neck, the back of my arms, my belly and my thighs and my eyes were burning. ..