Somewhat belatedly, a few photos from a quick trip to Australia in the New Year break 2016-2017 to visit my family in Noosa on the Queensland coast. Flying from the midwinter Geneva around zero C to heatwave in the middle of summer – middle 30s C and then back to a cold spell at -4 C. Around 35°C temperature drop from my last Saturday on Sunshine Beach to the first day in Geneva.
Even though it was hot, there were some stormy days and some dark clouds on Noosa Main Beach. It was much more crowded when the sun was out.
A rare memento of Claude Monet’s little known trip to Sunshine Beach (above).
Walking along the rocky coast of Noosa National Park. Saw dolphins playing in the waves near here. Also quite a few blue bottles (little stinging jellyfish) in the waves. They didn’t worry me much when I was swimming, about the same sensation as brushing past stinging nettles.
At the southern end of Noosa National Park, Paradise Cave is only accessible by a short steep and slippery downclimb on the sea cliff.
Kite surfer in the waves on Sunshine Beach
Sunshine Beach lived up to its name.
And 25 hours flight from Brisbane to Geneva, I was back in the snow. This is the view from my office the next morning.
Mountains and rivers 
used to live in NSW but was v glad to return to Scotland : )
I flew to Scotland from Geneva in the autumn last year. It was an unusually hot day and I was in short sleeves, sweating and totally forgot to take any sort of coat when I headed off to the airport. Arrived in Edinburgh to find it was only a few degrees above zero, cloudy and raining. I have seen the sun in Scotland though, previous trips.