I’ve just woken up and remembered I’m here, in the heart of the Australian Alps. The strangest bird calls outside and – despite some very familiar weather – a very different view outside my window. 
I had the BEST night’s sleep ever – an extra two hours of darkness – and now have a cuppa and am preparing for a lazy day enjoying the local environment, catching up with cousin and taking it all in. I wandered out to put the kettle on, woke the dogs, and took these: 
Yesterday we surprised lots of kangaroos on the fields and drive leading down to this place. I’ve seen unfamiliar birds on trees outside. But the most bizarre sight was stepping into this shop from the long road leading to Jindabyne. Almost no other settlements nearby and suddenly this: 
I think it must be the largest Christmas store in Southern Hemisphere! The Christmas music! The tinkling music! The baubles! Of course I bought some.
Funniest story: at home in Te Atatu, Auckland, I went for last minute things down to the supermarket, grabbing a sealed bag of doggy treats for the two furry cuties earlier in the post. I thought sealed, right – customs would be fine with that. Got to Aussie and the arrival card said to tick if I was bringing petfood in to the country. I did. Lead into the customs area past a sign saying Border Patrol filming takes place here, and told to show doggy treats. Can’t find them. In front of line of waiting passengers and customs officials have to reveal underware and the contents of both bags before seizing on the little sealed pack. Customs officer holds it up and asks where I bought it. I tell him. Only then do I realise it says Kangaroo on the front of pack. He lets me take it because – with much amusement – he points out it was made here, and I was only returning kangaroo to its point of origin. But he told me to go left not right so as to avoid sniffer dogs. Yes, that’s the caliber of tourist Jindabyne now has ambling around its streets. 
Following Claire 