BOXING DAY

Boxing Day… is traditionally a day following Christmas when (in the good old days) wealthy people in the United Kingdom would often give a box containing a gift to their servants. Today, Boxing Day is better known as a bank or public holiday that occurs on December 26, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws.

It is observed in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and some other Commonwealth nations. Did you see that? They observe it in AUSTRALIA!!

So what does one traditionally do on a boxing day? If I were back in England, it would generally mean either a choice between queueing up for the sales to begin (Or camping out the night before if they were half as good as they used to be in the seventies), or impatiently waiting for the television companies to air their latest exclusive to our ‘bloated on turkey leftovers’ eyes.

What about over here in Oz though? What would I be subjected to for a good old Australian boxing day? Well the answer to that came in the guise of a phone call at around 9 am. It was Sharon Pearson again. She was the one that suffered the presence of the water dragon with us a few days earlier.

Our jollies for the day

Without giving away the plot too much, the day would involve a further 60 Kilometres of travelling, temperatures in the 30 degree plus region, much sand and water, very few clouds, crossing time lines and territory borders, eating stuff, getting nicely browned, 6 hours away from home, around 300 photos and generally having yet another fantastic day. “Surf’s Up!!” Was the cry for the day and we were heading off towards the territory of New South Wales and yet another beach… or two… or maybe even three.

 Click here for the Kingscliff beach album

Like the map suggests, our first port of call would be Kingscliff. Which just happens to be where Jodie attended Kingscliff public school from 6 to 11 years of age (not that it did her any good). Kingscliff Public School opened its doors in 1957. The numbers of children attending Cudgen Public School, 3 km away, were overcrowding its small site. Classes were being held in the local hall. A school of eight classrooms was built to cater for the children of the growing seaside village of Kingscliff. 

Anyway, we headed to the town centre, parked up, crossed the road, and there was the beach. Unfortunately, this bit of beach was closed due to tidal erosion of the beach front but undeterred we doubled back over the road and had lunch at Pizza Capers (Check out the day’s special in the photo albums).

After lunch, it was a quick jaunt down the front while taking in the shops and then we all piled back into the car and travelled a few hundred yards up the road to access the main beach area for Kingscliff. The day was to be an exercise in exploration more than anything else so we walked up to the water, got our feet wet, and generally took loads of photos for your edification and delight. 

Click here for the Carbarita Beach album

And then it was time to exercise the chariot once more (this time a Hyundai i30 not a putt putt) and head off further down the coast to Carbarita Beach. It was a heavenly place where it was virtually impossible to take a bad photo. There were specially constructed walkways around the main beach where it seemed the views had been specifically engineered for near perfection. I recommend you take a look at all these albums even if you skip all the others.

Click here for the Hastings Point album

With every bit of beach we came across, there were hints of better beaches beyond and it was with that in mind that we continued even further south to Hastings Point. Once again, the views were stunning, the seas (oceans more like) were crystal clear with multi-hued shades of bluey greens and brilliant whites sprays, the skies were near cloudless, the sun blazing and the whole day perfect.

How many Brits are lucky enough to experience a boxing day like that I asked myself as I sat and remembered the cold ice laden roads of back home this time last year. There really is no comparison. 

Oh and just in case anyone noticed. It's not what you were thinking... no it's not an affair... there's only ever been the one hat I ever loved and wanted. It was just a moment of weakness. I was sorely tempted by that Jodie woman. Yeah she made me do it!! I was weak.... and that flappy hat caught me at the wrong moment...

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