
We're home and a swell holiday it was. Firstly, when you have been innured to the vagaries of flying with 24 hours to Brazil, 10 hours to Hawaii seems a breeze. Especially when you have stocked your ipad with season 1 of Scandal (loving it) and Sherlock (also loving it). And let's face it, it takes 10 hours to get just about anywhere from Australia so it's no big deal.
Secondly, everyone was so laid back and calm and the weather was balmy but not sweltering and everything was so green. My genes don't respond to a sunburnt country in the same way so I loved the frangipani and bouganvillea everywhere.

Thirdly, the deal I was on was a timeshare pitch which took 2 hours of my time and was massively emotional hard sell, but when you are surrounded by that stuff professionally, you know the pitch and the cold truth that you have no budget makes you a prospect to be quickly written off. And to their very great credit, there was zero badgering. We had a great one bedroom suite, free wifi, free laundry and a balcony with a view of the water.
Fourthly, there was an excellent coffee shop downstairs where I could order a flat white and it come out with exactly the right amount of coffee and an excellent range of ice creams.
Fifthly, I am in love with colour. I have t-shirts in pink and heavily discounted gold Kate Spade sandals. I don't know who I am but I may need to move to the Gold Coast. (I avoided the cropped white pants, a look my daughters advise me places me heavily in the middle aged category).
Sixthly, make up is fun when it does not cost $50 for a lipstick. Sephora is a aladdin's cave of delight for people who only have the supermarket or David Jones for choice (I know Mecca is pretty good but twice the price of Sephora, people). Even the drug stores have better selections ($5 for a revlon nail polish which costs $15 here). Plus all the brands we don't get like Urban Decay and Smashbox. Smashbox primer is revelatory and I am a pusher for the stuff now. Look out family, you'll see it as part of Christmas presents.
Seventhly, swimming through water is meditative and calming.
Eighthly, waking up and hearing your daughter snoring like a small kitten reminds you that though she is twenty, you still want to make sure she is breathing regularly.
Ninethly, discovering Gap boyfriend jeans shorts.
Finally, being outdoors in a place of great beauty is very soothing.

On the down side of the ledger, the restaurants were mediocre but I think that is a function of lack of research rather than a reflection of what is on offer. Also, Bumble and Bumble sea salt spray - what was I thinking? It does what it says so if you want your hair to feel like straw, go ahead and buy it (or if you want to come by my house, you can collect the stuff I bought)
Recent Comments