Sultry Summer Days...

It feels so strange to be writing that title in February...but the are no other words for the weather here, so there it is! As I write, it's 9.20am...I've just dropped the children off at school, the youngest to daycare...and it's already 33c. The rhythm of the days is different here, as in all hot countries I suppose. The children all know the routines...sunscreen is liberally applied before each outing and hats worn too. I know this from previous visits...the sun here is unrelenting. We have some (a few!) hot days in England...but nothing, ever, is like day after day of burning heat. Burning here is a serious thing...not the pink, slight soreness of an hour too long in the warm gold of a British summer...too long here means hospital! You don't mess with the Aussie sunshine - especially when you have pale winter dried limbs like me! So I'm slapping on the factor 50 along with everyone else and hoping for a golden glow at the end of my visit to prove that I've been away!
Yesterday we drove up to my favorite hill town of Maleny. The road there is twisty as you climb into the green bounty of the farmland...there are shouts from the back seats " look left!!" " look right!" as the gorgeous views of verdant valleys and rolling hills emerge...we saw the mountains too - Glasshouse Mountain is close...and there was the most beautiful blue haze over the highest points. Maleny is renowned for it's dairy farms...fewer now, as everywhere...but still plenty of cows and goats to be seen, shaded under trees. My oldest nephew discovered a special walk through the rainforest...a river running alongside the boardwalk through the green trees that hummed with birds and insects. Maleny is also known for it's population of duckbilled platypus'...and we so hoped to see one. But not this time! We contented ourselves with playing Poohsticks from the bridge and spotting creatures & fungus in the shady gloom. A beautiful start to the day. Then it was a walk into town...the temperatures a blessed few degrees cooler in the altitude...lunch and then the treat of a wonderful ice cream cone to be eaten as fast as possible before the journey home! Esther & I chose pink grapefruit sorbet...absolutely refreshing & totally delicious.
We got home in the late afternoon...everything still and lazy in the heat. The blinds were pulled against the sun, the ceiling fans were switched on and the children watched a movie dressed in as little as possible! Bliss.
I spoke to Paul this morning...all is well at home and Alice is fine. It's cold, though...and he has a bad chest. I wish he was here in the sunshine. I'm just going to put on that sunscreen before taking a walk down to the local supermarket. The route takes me along a path by the beach. The small white yachts will be out, the yellow buoys that mark the shark nets will be bobbing a few hundred metres offshore and I'll have to keep my sandals on to protect my feet from the burning white of the sand. All I will see and hear is the tumbling blue of the bath water warm Pacific Ocean. I feel so very far from home...and yet I AM home at the same time. Enjoying every last minute of my final week-&-a-bit.
Thanks so much for all your sweet comments on my last post..It's wondrful having you with me on my travels! Sending much love for the new week ahead xoxo