Christmas Island

Everyone dove out of sight from the snooping photographers, who were trying, undoubtedly, to earn a few extra dollars by snapping shots of Mandy and her family and friends. Sydney offered his opinion as well. “Go away. Go away,” he cried. Once the close-knit group got their second wind from the silly stalking, Nigel suggested, “Why don’t we all take my yacht out and go whale watching?” “Great idea,” Mandy said. Everyone grabbed a pair of binoculars, which they likely wouldn’t need since the whales came so close. They soon sailed off on the yacht. The pets came along for the spectacular sights as well. Hallie, Gabbi, and Mandy reached down and petted Sonny, Mona, and Tootsie as they swam beside the craft. Almost immediately in the distance they could see whale tails slapping the surface. Huge geysers of water grabbed their attention. “How cool is that?” Mandy called. It seemed as though the whale pod had joined together for Christmas, too. The “watchers” could see a host of baby whales with their families plunging below the deep blue surface of the water, only to break through the waves occasionally to give the sightseers a close-up view of their offspring. Everyone thought it was such a special day. When the whales departed, Hallie turned on some soft classical music and served after-dinner beverages. The group of friends and family members sat and watched a spectacular Caribbean sunset. They enjoyed sharing stories, real and fictitious, into the evening. Then night fell. A hush bathed the island. To match the brilliance of the stars, Christmas Island came alive with hundreds of tiny lights.