Friday, January 3, 2014

Culburra Summer Holiday

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As I sit here now, warm from a daytime bath, and resting my feet on my heated carpet, it's hard to imagine that this time last week I was on the beach. I spent a lovely Christmas with family at Culburra Beach, on the South Coast, NSW in Australia. My Mum and Dad used to own a waterfront beach house here and I spent all of my school holidays here as a kid. Here, I used to wear reef sandals, kuta lines, eat potato scallops with chicken salt, sunbake with coconut oil, surf whitewash waves with a heavy old Malibu board that was left in the garage when my parents bought the house, and sit on 'the bench' and wait for cute boys in fast cars to drive past and wolf whistle. This time, though, I did none of the above, but instead took my 50mm lens around, played with Mama-sando's little schnauzer, and drank too much wine.

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It took 20 hours from Shimokitawa to Culburra via the Odakyu-sen, NEX, JAL, City Rail and car, but when I arrived to this beautiful beach view, it was all worth it.

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That's little Schnaupi (Charlie is his real name) chasing a fluffy white dog.

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This guy. Melts my heart.

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Fishing on the beach with my Mum, Aunt and her partner. I hate fishing so I was designated 'bar bitch' (When in Rome, speak like the Romans) and was put to work running from the 'bar' to refill drinks on request. My side job was to keep Schnaupi out of the bait.

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The rental beach house was a short walk up this track. Some of us were lucky and avoided ticks. Others, not so lucky.

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I had good intentions of drawing my beach collections.

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But instead I spent long mornings and boozy afternoons with Mama Sando sitting on the balcony of our rental house. It was here that I got thong (not the g-string type thank goodness) sun tan and a odango part sun burn that is now peeling in a very un-glamorous-dandruff-like-way.

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Sunset views and red wines on the back balcony.

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A retro games room.

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And out and about around town on a little tour of the Culburra's fibro majestic houses.

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As a kid I remember burning my bare feet walking along these roads. (Yes, Chikayo-san, it's true, some Australian's get about with bare feet!)

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I would totally live here.

If it was in Tokyo.

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Go on, phone Barry.

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Thank you Mama-sando for a lovely Summer holiday.

Now it's time to put on another jumper.

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

15 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Ebony-chan! This post made me think back fondly on some of my own childhood Aussie beach house holidays.

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    1. Thank you Andrea! Nawww, that's great! I bet you had some lovely holiday times!

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  2. I was scrolling through the photos thinking, this doesn't look like Japan before going back and reading your words, oops! I just came back from a trip to Port Macquarie down from The Sunshine Coast (where I live) and I decided that NSW is magical and I would be more than happy to live there! I love those low set houses and all the crazy colours!

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    1. Ha ha, yes, on occasion I leave Japan ;) Yes, I love those houses, too. My favourite ones are complete with an iron butterfly on the front door. And diagonal house numbers!

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  3. What an enchanting place! I don't know much about Australia and I am grateful for this post. I hope you ejoyed your holidays and that you had a kick-ass new year start! :)

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    1. Thank you for your nice comment, Barbara. Hope you had a nice start to the year too!

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  4. Hey, Eb, looks like a fab holiday... Love all of your jobs. Mmm wine on the beach. Sounds too fab! Glad you had a great time....

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    1. Thanks Cathy. You should have joined us down there! x

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  5. "I would totally live here. If it was in Tokyo" haha. I could probably say that about any structure ;) Good to see you had a nice break.

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    1. Ha ha! Hope you had a lovely start to the year, too!

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  6. Very nice & lovely photos ... !
    Would you tell me the camera which you always use ?

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  7. Such a quintessentially Australian holiday! Love those little fibro houses, looks like a perfect Summer break for you. Bet your mum was happy to have you back in Aus for a little stint too! x

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  8. It looks like you had a great time in Australia. Fabulous pictures.

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  9. Oooo what lovely pics! Just back from hols on Phillip Island (Vic) and these took me right back there again THANK YOU!
    Kasia

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  10. Lovely pictures, you certainly enjoyed in Australia. summer vacation

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