As the Christmas holiday continued, we headed south to Royal National Park, the second oldest national park in the world after Yellowstone!  After morning hikes along the breath-taking trails, including Sr. Anna’s brave confrontation with a blue-bellied black snake, we enjoyed a picnic lunch by the waterside.  After lunch, we had the opportunity for a longstanding, Pope John Paul II-inspired dream to come true – we went kayaking!  Gliding along the water (with more or less dexterity), we praised God for the beauty of creation, joining the chorus of the laughter of young people and the songs of Australia’s wildlife.  It should be noted that the calls of the cockatoos are much more like screams than songs, but delightful nonetheless.  Tipped off by the park ranger, who told us that Wattamolla was a must-see, we headed home via the East Coast.  After a drive through the dry gum tree-lined country, we arrived at the shores of the Pacific Ocean.  The rocky cliffs had ledges that served perfectly as pews, so the cliffs became our chapel.  This time the seagulls joined in the chanting as the sun set over the rolling waves.