How I spent Christmas in Australia
Christmas in Australia!!
After getting into the Christmas spirit in Stockholm, I was ready to head home and spend some time with my family and friends. Of course catching up with my loved ones was the highlight of the trip, but brunch came in a close second! Australian coffee and breakfasts are something I really miss about being away so it's one of the first things I do when I go home.
Last minute christmas shopping
I'd saved some of my Christmas shopping to do in Melbourne. As much as I love Stockholm, the shopping in Australia is so much better. The shopping centres are bigger and there is a lot more variety. I loved browsing all the different stores and started wishing that we had even half as many in Stockholm. I will never, ever complain about shopping in Australia again :)
It was such a contrast to be shopping in the sun and 30+ degree Melbourne heat, compared to the darkness and snow I was wandering through a week earlier. There were also so many more people around. I'd forgotten just how busy the shops can get at Christmas time. After battling the crowds for awhile I realised that I hadn't been to see the Myer Christmas Windows since my daughter was little. So I made sure that I had the time to stop by. It seemed like everyone else in Melbourne had the same idea and the line was huge, so I had to settle on seeing them from a distance.
Christmas day with the koalas
Usually we spend Christmas day with the family, cooking up a tradition roast. Most years it's a really warm day and we spend most of it overheating in the kitchen. So this year we decided to go out for lunch. We enjoyed a relaxing Christmas meal at Healesville Sanctuary with full access to the park. It felt so Australian to be surrounded by the bush and the native animals. I'm also really glad that I didn't have to cook as it was a stinking hot 38 degrees!
my favourite parts of Melbourne
After Christmas was over for another year, I got to spend time exploring some of my favourite parts of Melbourne. I love spending time at Flinders street station and in some of the nearby laneways covered in street art. These parts of the city feel the most 'Melbourne' to me and it always feels like home.
Even though it was only a short visit, I really enjoyed being back home in Australia for a little while. But for now it's time to enjoy the rest of winter in my second home, Stockholm and to look ahead to what 2017 has to offer!Cheers, Jess