Australian Holidays with Donders (ENGLISH VERSION)

In this episode:
- Christmas Eve carols in Warragul
- Christmas day with the Donders family
- Relaxing boxing day
- After Christmas recovery
- Rounds of golf
- New Year
- Jan-Willem’s birthday

Doug and Tara invited me to their place for a drink on pre-Christmas day. Steve, Tarks and Funky came as well and since I hadn’t seen them for four months it was good to see the guys back again. Dougy brought his Xbox out and we played a game of FIFA ’04 which ended in a tie between me and Dougy (can’t wait for Jan-Willem to get FIFA ’14 for Christmas ☺). Also Asha had a good day again and was cheeky as always. After she showed me all the presents around the Christmas tree she got her water “pistol” out and no one was safe anymore. Luckily it was not too bad to get sprayed on this nice Christmas sunny day. After the guys left Doug and Tara asked me whether I liked to come to the Christmas carols in Warragul as well. Normally my family and I would go to church on Christmas Eve but this was a very good alternative. They set up a stage in this beautiful park in Warragul and everyone just brought a picnic mat and something to nibble while listening to Christmas songs sang and played by local singers and musicians. Maybe a good thing to introduce in the Netherlands.……. Ooh.. just forgot for a moment that it’s a “bit” colder back home. Must say it remains a bit strange, these warm temperatures for Christmas.

Christmas Day!!! In the morning Jan-Willem first serves us really nice eggs benedict. A great way to start the morning although nothing beats home made sausage rolls from mum we normally have for Christmas. After breakfast it’s time to see what presents Santa has brought this year. I got Olivia’s very first made friendship bracelet, two more bracelets made by Olivia and Sophia, an Australian flag on which they wrote something, some of my favourite candies, a koala and kangaroo nanobot, and a voucher to spend on tickets for the Australian Open. Really happy with all of it and some nice presents to take home to remember me of the great time I have already had here. Then it’s time to prepare lunch for today, where I’m used to have family over for dinner on Christmas day it’s custom to have lunch together in Australia. Melissa’s mum and pop and her sisters are coming over with their families so it’s gonna be busy. But when everyone helps out and everything is ready in time for a great lunch. Melissa and Bella made the most delicious aperitifs and Jan-Willem prepared a nice salmon with a great sauce. After lunch it’s time for another round of presents which grandma brought and as a typical grandmother she likes to spoil their grandkids a bit. And still present time is not over yet because we all go to Melissa’s oma (not grandma because she is Dutch as well ☺). At this point we’re together with 32 people for a Christmas cringle in which presents are unwrapped and can be exchanged with other people who have opened a present before you if you like to. I went for logics and went for the smallest gift, hoping I could take it back home or mail it home, and I got lucky with another nanobot which no one took of me. When this finished it was back to the Donders for a game of volleyball in the pool and dinner. All in all a great day and I’m really grateful for the Donders family that they’ve welcomed me to their family Christmas.

Boxing day, or second day of Christmas, we have a relaxing morning with a bit of crafts and again a game of volleyball in the pool. Then Jan-Willem has to go back into the kitchen to make a roast for the afternoon when Melissa’s dad is coming. I’ve already had some really nice roasts at the Tysons and hope to prepare this one day when I get back in Holland so I got a little cooking lesson today as well. We had a great dinner and with the Chilean girlfriend of Melissa’s dad we almost had all the nationalities in the Dutch/Aussie/Chilli/Spain group for the World Cup Football on our table. Jan-Willem and I agreed that we were better of when a Spaniard would join us and we could just fight it out over here instead of in the World Cup. After a nice dinner and a movie it’s time to go to bed and have a good rest.

Donna, the cleaning lady comes in so it’s handy to go out and I feel like going for a run. It’s the perfect weather for it with a nice temperature and misty rain. After my run went by to Debbie to say hello and see how Christmas was. When I got back Donna was just about to leave and I got a bit of time to write my blog.

Saturday was again a really hot day and therefore we pretty much hang out in and around the pool doing races, bombs and playing volleyball. Ooh, and almost forgot…. Jan-Willem and I worked really hard as well, we hang up a plant. Took a bit longer because the girls were trying to push us in the water. And they showed that much perseverance that it wouldn’t be fair not to go in so I’m sorry Melissa but the other jobs have to wait a moment. Later that afternoon Linda, another Dutchy, and Jude came over for a barbie.

Sunday was shopping day as Jan-Willems birthday is on the second of January. So Jan-Willem had to work in the shop and Melissa, the girls and I went to Melbourne on the hunt for presents for the man that has pretty much everything he wants. Still there were two things that he liked to have, a new goggle and NHL for the Xbox. You’d say this shouldn’t be too difficult but it took quite some hunting to find them. I hoped to find something for golf or something different but I wasn’t successful. Next day I’ve got a work day at the factory and although it was quite boring I got the idea of buying a ticket for the Tilburg Trappers (Icehockey in the home city of JW) for his birthday. Unfortunately, when I checked later, the season of ice hockey already ends in March while the Donders are coming to the Netherlands in April. Next thing I checked was EHL hockey and surprise surprise, final weekend is held in Eindhoven (NL) when they’re there and this is just the kind of thing I was looking for!! Only thing is that the tickets are not for sale yet so I’ll need to get creative to make a nice voucher.

For the 31st we’ve got a nice day organised. First off, we played a nice round of golf with not only Jan-Willem but also with Livi which was really good fun. After that we dropped Livi off at a birthday party and JW and I went shopping for the new years eve, one slap of beers or two slaps. We ended up buying a nice slap of beers and a slap of ciders. The 31st back home normally consist of my dad making Oliebollen (sorry, not able to translate this) all day long and us eating Oliebollen all day long. The Donders still had some Oliebollen packet mix so we thought to give it a go today as well, which I found really nice to do although it was not the biggest success. We figured, and later got confirmation of my dad as well, that it didn’t really works with packet mix that is over its expiry date ☹. In the evening we had a nice party with friends of the Donders. I must say it still looks a bit strange, every family bringing their own eski. After the “big” disappointment of not being allowed to light the illegal fireworks at the party we did it when we got back.

The time difference with the Netherlands makes times like this a bit strange; wishing everyone a happy new year when it’s still two hour clock in the afternoon in NL and waking up at ten in the morning when it’s just new year back home. Rest of new years day consist of people having over for lunch and just some relaxing.

Thursday, Jan-Willems birthday, starts with giving him his presents. Luckily Jan-Willem was happy with the EHL (Euro Hockey League) ticket I gave him. Although my travelling plans are not definite it’s the plan to join him if I’m back by that time. Secondly he asked some friends to go and play a round of golf in Warragul. Good that we did some practice before as I finally found a bit of my swing back. Rest of the day we’ve watched ice hockey, played ice hockey on the Xbox and ended up watching the second Hobbit movie. The first one was already not as good as the Lord of the Rings movies but this was just an absolute disgrace. But no worries, a couple of beers and some humour made us survive.

Today Melissa, Bella, Livi and I went for a walk on the track first. Halfway I made the joke that I may use one of my IOUs (I owe you) I got for Christmas, a water fight. However, Bella was actually keen on having a water fight with our drinking bottles so we did. At a point, Bella used a second bottle from Livi while I had to climb off the track to get my drinking bottle, which Bella threw off the track before, a bit unfair if you ask me. When she on top of that got even more water from Melissa I ran down the track to fill my bottle as well. Not at a nice water fountain though, in the swamp ☺. Bella ended up being a bit smelly. And that needed payback according to Bella so she filled up hers as well in the swamp although Melissa told her not to. So I ended up soaked as well and Bella even more. After that, we visited Melissa’s oma again and she treated us on speculaas, Amsterdam cookies, and amandelspijsrol (all really nice Dutch treats). Later that evening I facetimed with my parents and youngest brother Mathijn who are going through a hectic time as a good friend of my brother passed away and Bart-Jan (my other brother) is about to leave to Singapore to study there for half a year. So really good to speak to them and also nice to introduce the Donders family to my parents. Mellisa grabbed her chance to tell my mum that she forbade to go to the Full Moon Party in Thailand but my mum didn’t have such illusion ;) (I’ll be good mum).