On Thursday night we flew to Sydney. It was a very long trip, longer than normal because we had to avoid some storms over the equator and veered due south for several hours, making the flight from LAX a full 16 hours in the air. We arrived to summer, it was a glorious 80 degrees when we arrived and the kids commented as soon as we got out of the airport how great the air felt. As is tradition now, we headed straight from the airport to the cemetery where my mum and now my dad are buried to honor their memory. They both always loved to see us when we returned to Sydney.

We are staying in the same apartment we stayed in last time, less than one block from the beach. No sooner had we arrived when literally within a minute the kids had their swimsuits on and were heading to the beach. They know this area so well now that we felt comfortable having them go down to the beach and swim in the patrolled area. We did join them a few minutes later.

We spent all of our first afternoon on the beach. They went boogie boarding and played in the ocean but by late afternoon they were getting pretty tired. They perked up when Uncle Ian and their cousin Sarah came to visit, they hadn’t seen her in 15 months and she is almost four now.

The kids played on the beach with Sarah and at the playground, with Anna acting as babysitter for a good part of this time. Then we got a takeaway dinner and it was early to bed.

Today was another picture perfect day. We were down at the beach early and met up with one of my old high school friends and his wife and son. In the afternoon we went over to the Miers house where once again we were treated to a sumptuous meal and great conversation. It was a full day and the kids were happy to go to bed once it got dark.