When did this become my beach?

Heard of the Great Barrier Reef? That is where I lived. Well, not like Nemo at the dropoff, but in Cairns, in the far north east of Australia. There aren't many places as idyllic in the world as Cairns. Reef, Rainforest and desert not too far away. Crocodiles man the rivers and cassowaries roam the forest.

Today, we took our daughter to the beach. It is about half a kilometre walk from our apartment and was the first time this summer. My wife commented that the flowers are dying, summer is already coming to a close and today was the first suitable beach day.

I sat there in the (quite cold) water as my daughter picked up small rocks for the first time. After learning they weren't edible, she played moving them from the water to her bucket and back again. She really likes to order her playthings. It is almost OCD, at least her room will be clean.

But, as I sat there in the water I was reminded of an early life in Cairns. One where I would study at the beach between lessons and sit and watch the sunset as the odd dolphin fin broke the water. Beaches are a massive part of Australian culture and the dream for everyone is of course, to live overlooking the ocean and a golden stretch of sand.

I have spent so many hours bumming around a beach, sitting with friends talking nonsense and holding hands with first loves (and second, third...). Although not a strong swimmer and not in need of a tan, playing around at a beach is something I enjoy. Throwing a ball, having dinner in a restaurant that opens onto a beach or just an ice cream to cool the day are some quite simple and extraordinary things.

I grew up near Adelaide and one thing my family did on random occasion was to squeeze into the car and head to Glenelg for fish and chips. This is a fifty kilometre drive. They were wrapped in butcher's paper and we would have battered fish and a Cornjack each (creamed corn in a crumbed case). We would sit and eat it on the beach together and afterwards, as the night cooled the air, head and get an ice cream from along Jetty road.

It is funny, as I sat there in the water with my daughter I wondered if I will ever be able to do that again. Hopefully, with her and my wife @momone, on a warm evening and a sea breeze. If I was going to create a tradition, that is the kind of thing I would like. It is something good I do remember from my family life.

Perhaps @galenkp and @rezantroy remember it too.

Just in case that time never arrives, I will enjoy what I can at the lake beach we have. A different kind of idyllic.

Taraz
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