CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN BUNDABERG....

Sunday was a good day on the Coral Coast.... we managed to catch up with our good friends again....

John & Cathie Killip

It's funny how even though we hadn't seen them for many years we were able to pick up the friendship as if it were only yesterday we had seen them.  We ended up going to church with them in the morning and they invited us over for lunch.
We even managed to catch up with John's parents too.  This was a bit of a treat as well, as it is probably 30 years since we have seen them and they are both in their 80's now.  It was a lovely afternoon.

As we were leaving I snapped a photo of this guy in one of their trees....

He is only a baby too.

This one was a baby and was driving it's parents nuts with its screeching.... Apparently this year they are everywhere along our coast.... Such pretty birds and I love seeing them around...

One of the other things we managed to do today was drive past the old house that Steve spent some of his early childhood in.  Since we were taking photos of homes of my grandparents he thought he would take a photo of one of the houses he grew up in...

Front view

Side view

 Unfortunately, the house I spent the first 10 years of my life in is gone.  It has been removed and taken away.  A Hotel bottle shop is now sitting on the allotment that our house used to be on. 

We got home a little after Mid afternoon.... It was a perfect day, the wind had dropped down and the sky was a perfect blue which really reflected on the water... It actually made the water sparkle... In fact the day was so perfect we had to go sit and spend some time near the water and just enjoy it. 

Enjoying our coastline.

We  got back and caught up with our neighbours and had a lovely chat to them also... they have come out from England and are making their way around Australia.  Lovely folk.  He saw what Steve was doing to our van and then realized that he didn't even have the rubber seals on his at all.  In fact he was wondering why it was always getting dust in it, so he had been into town to get some rubber seal as well and we had lent him the tools and ladder to get his done.  He needed a final bit of help from Steve to find out how to seal it all.  They also are heading to Rocky the day we go home....

We decided on Sunday night that we would take Steve's Mum and Aunty on the Christmas Light Tour of Bundaberg.  They rarely get out and we know that Steve's mum was quite excited about the little excursion....  We had dinner with Steve's paretns and Steve set the GPS so that we were ready to go about 7.30pm..
None of us were disappointed...

Amazing displays

Beautifully decorated but you needed to walk around it to truly appreciate all their hard work.

The highlight for us I think was going into Hurley Street East Bundaberg...

Hurley Street

Beautiful Garage Displays

A visit to Fairyland

This street would have to be one of the best displays I have seen ever.  The whole street and the couple of Cul-de-sacs that come off the street are all decorated with Christmas Lights.  It is like walking into fairyland...  One of the nicest parts about visiting this street is that you just couldn't drive it.  To fully appreciate all the work and the atmosphere you had to park your car and walk the neighborhood.   It was lovely to hear the wonder of the children and see everyone enjoying themselves.  The owners love it too as they sit out and chat to everyone...

We continued over northside to Rosedale Road to see the one that took out second prize in the competition

Prize winners.

Unfortunately though they were just beginning to turn out their lights.  It was amazing though and I can only imagine how much prettier it would have been with all the lights on.
It was a great night.  I always love going out and checking the Christmas Lights.  I wonder if I am able to convince Steve to take me again when I get home so that I can see the Rocky Christmas lights.

I can't beleive how holiday is nearly over.... only a day left before we pack and head home.  It has been a great week... Refreshing, relaxing and a chance to rejuvenate after a very sad and hectic year....