Queenscliff 3

It was Boxing Day, a public holiday and the day Ex Sis in Law normally hosts a Christmas family get together. I am not sure if it is a permanent arranged but this year she handed over to her daughter, Oldest Niece. A direct drive on a motorway would take about 30 minutes, but it could not be. We were on one side of Port Phillip and Oldest Niece is on the other. 

Sister picked us up just after 9 and we lined up for the 10 o'clock ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento. We abandoned the car to buy coffee but were back in the car in good time to drive on. Light cars went on first and then SUVs. Sister was driving Bone Doctor's 'truck' a large proper 4 wheel drive. Sister was getting very impatient and just as impatiently drove once off the ferry, trying to 'push' the cars in front up to the speed limit in a futile effort. The ferry trip is around 40 minutes and the drive 30 plus minutes. The ferry is terribly expensive; car, adult, child and two seniors well over $200 return with Sister's local person discount but it avoids a drive of nearly three hours at best, and by ferry is quite a pleasant trip. 

We aren't terribly impressed that Oldest Niece asked for a contribution of $20 per person towards the cost of hosting the Christmas party. This may have come from her mother. I am not sure. It was a lovely afternoon with all the Christmas food you can imagine and absolutely crazy with with  eight children ranging from 18 months to 9 years old. Enjoy them while you can. They grow up so quickly. 

If I knew they were short of money or that it was more than they wanted to spend, I would quite happily given them a couple of hundred dollars towards the hosting the Christmas event. Asking for payment seems just plain tacky.

Jo had a working shift starting at 5pm, so we left quite early after gift giving to catch the 3pm ferry back. We didn't think we would make it and it was bit like the car flying over a closing lift bridge, but sister made it and we were on board at 2.58 for the 3.00 departure. 

Then Jo received a message that her work shift, involving holiday penalty rates, was cancelled. How can a workplace do this? Our day was arranged around getting her to work by 5pm. I was fuming at the injustice towards casual workers (distinct to part time workers) and the knock on effect to others. The gubbermint needs to do something.  

It was a lovely day but as Jo suggested, her social capital was exhausted and mien Gott, once back at our cottage, I felt drained of all social capital. R and I bought a takeaway pizza for dinner but did not eat much. Pizza never goes to waste. One slice came back to Melbourne in the esky (insulated chiller carry box with ice blocks).

It was a wonderful day really, full of family fun and nice food. We are fortunate.

Here comes our ferry to Sorrento, a smudge on the horizon. 

From the cafe where we drank coffee before departure. The seas looks rough but the ferry is purpose designed to deal with The Rip. 

The ferry terminal.

Here she comes.

Car loading was very quick. The staff really knew what they were doing. As far I could see, there was less than five vacant car spaces.

'We'll be back soon Queenscliff'. 

We passed the Spirit of Tasmania as we returned, the ferry to our island state Tasmania. Even though subsidised by our Federal Government as being part of national highway Route 1, it too is expensive.