Walking in a Summer Wonderland‏

It's all getting a bit surreal now. I see the decorations, I hear the music in the shop, I see the kids getting their picture taken with Santa, but it still doesn't feel like Christmas. Maybe it's the tropical heat, maybe it's the people sunbathing at the lagoon, maybe it's because I'm away from home. Either way, it's hard to get excited and all the other backpackers feel the same way despite the fact that the reception of my hostel looks like Santa's Grotto.

I'm still working in the bookshop for the time being, and all things considered it's a pretty boring job. They seem to think that it's really busy, but after doing a Christmas in HMV Lakeside their busiest days seem like a quiet Tuesday afternoon in April. I still appreciate being here in Cairns though as it's a pretty amazing place. Just walking down the street to work I can see tropical rainforest-covered mountains surrounding the town on three sides. The other side is the ocean and the Great Barrier Reef. You can't really go wrong with scenery like that in the morning. Just before it starts to rain you can see the mist come rolling down off the mountains and it looks awesome.

Aside from work, life in Cairns is one big party. Mondays, Wednsdays, Fridays and Saturdays are all big nights and since this is maybe favourite hostel in Australia, it's a good place to just hang out on the quiet nights. I've probably been here too long now, but I'll still be sad when I leave here. My flight back to Sydney is on Tuesday and I've managed to sort myself out by staying with friends in a house close to the beach. After seven months in hostels it will be like checking into the Four Seasons. I'm not too bothered about returning to Sydney, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else for New Year, and it will be nice to see friends that I've met elsewhere in Australia, those that I lived with for four months when I was there before, and of course Kelly who follows me around the world. Not quite sure what the plans are for New Year, but it will be a fantastic experience whatever it is.


I guess the bottom line is that I love Cairns and although I wouldn't want to live here, I could happily doss away for months here. It's been my favourite place in Australia, unless Melbourne blows me away when I get there in January. I've heard a lot of good things so I'm hoping it will be a good place to spend a couple of months.

There's not really a lot more to tell that you haven't heard already. Hopefully my Christmas experiences will be interesting and then I go back to travelling to new pastures for the first time since July, and back on the bus. I'm looking forward to it.

Have a fantastic Christmas and enjoy the cold because if nothing else, it's traditional. I'll probably be somewhere like Bondi Beach looking slightly underwhelmed and uncomfortable along with the other 150,000 backpackers who are homing in on Sydney.

And remember, a dog is for life, not just for Christmas.