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Transitions back into Australian life

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Transitions

Transitions are difficult. In whatever sphere of life. Adjusting from one way of being, one way of living, to something very different is hard. It is a process. As humans, we usually avoid change. Our brains see it as a threat to the status quo. Our amygdala kicks in. And we resist. Try to cling to the relative safety of the “known”.

List of countries visited

If we don’t move out of the “known”, explore new things, we don’t grow. We stagnate. And I don’t like stagnating. With this in mind, I like to throw everything up in the air and see where it lands. Chart a new course every now and again. And this is what we chose to do when packing up our lives in Australia in June last year to explore the world.

Our travel journey

Many of you came along on the journey. Reading the blogs we shared of our trials and tribulations. The amazing ups and, relatively few, downs of long term travel. You will have seen our pictures, and maybe got a sense of what we saw, and maybe how we felt. It was truly a life changing trip. It changes how you see the world. How you come to realise that we are the same. Part of one big family. Granted, a family with almost 8 billion family members.

You come to realise how arbitrary the borders are. How much of what we take for “geography” is just a social construct. Some countries we have to get visas for. Others, we just jump on a train, leaving one country, and entering another. A bus takes us from France to Spain, with no discernible demarcation of the border between the two countries. In Switzerland we could look across the river in Basel, looking into the windows of apartments on the other side, in France. Look in the other direction and you could throw a stone into Germany. Nothing but a river separating three countries. 

Arriving back in Australia

Ten months later, we flew back to Australia. A country with very strict borders. A country that forbids you to even bring in an apple, woe betide it introduces a threat to the ecosystem. And with our return, we have to re-adjust to a life where we don’t move every few days. Where we have more options of what to wear other than what we have in our backpacks. Deal with the reverse culture shock.

“How much!?”, became a common refrain as we converted the price of a pizza from Australian into Indonesian rupiah. 

The biggest shock was the price of accommodation. In a rental market that is crazy beyond crazy, we had to start out bouncing between AirBnBs. And the cost was killing us. With no money coming in, and lots going out, we needed to find a rental. Fast. This was no easy feat. For each of the four viewings we had in the first week, there were an average of 20 people showing up to view. With a viewing window of only 15 minutes, for everyone, we were like rats running around a maze. Bumping into each other as we all raced to get a good look around, and take a few photos.

Finding a home in Perth

One viewing number five, or was it six, we managed to turn up early and got to view an apartment in relative quiet. It also allowed us to use our well refined stakeholder management skills, chatting to both the owner and her partner. Showing an interest in them and not just the apartment. Asking a few questions and showing our genuine interest. This apartment was above our budget, but with our options dwindling, and with this being a great apartment, we wanted it.

Beaufort Street, Perth, WA
Celebrating our wedding anniversary, in Perth

A phone call whilst we were at yet another viewing brought very good news. We had secured the rental. However, as neither of us were working, our offer of paying the full six months rent up front was accepted. A large chunk of our savings gone, temporarily, but we had a home for the immediate future. A huge milestone in our “settling back into normal life” plan.

Whilst we were looking for a rental, we decided to review our priorities for settling back into Western Australia. And what came out on top was a visit to Margaret River. The wine region that we hold close to our heart, more so we got married there in 2021. We spent a great few days, hunting down new wineries, and checking out a few recent additions to the brewery scene, before heading back to Perth.

Passel Estate, Margaret River, WA
Back in our happy place, Margaret River

In Perth, we are now in a modern two bedroom apartment in a great suburb called Leederville. A suburb full of cafes, bars, and restaurants. And on the bus, only 15 minutes into the city. When we left Perth last year we were living just up the road in Mt Hawthorn. So we know the area very well and love it. If only we weren’t doing “dry May”. It is a killer walking past everyone enjoying a glass of full bodied red wine, or a hazy pale ale. Roll on June!

Rocky Ridge Tap House, Busselton, WA
Better days, Rocky Ridge Tap House in Busselton

Transitioning back to work

Our life plan hit top gear when shortly afterwards, Victoria secured a full time job. Again, at the first time of asking. She has a perfect record of applying for a job, and getting it. Other people must also see how special she is. For me, I had already been back working, albeit part time. A friend runs a consultancy in Perth and I had been partnering to deliver training to some of the companies in Perth. This work is now expanding, and I will be complementing the training with some dedicated coaching and consulting for one of the clients.

My new life involves me trying to work Monday through Thursday. I am keeping Friday free to build up my private coaching practice. To that end, I had a call with a previous client in Sydney and we are having discussions in further developing our working relationship. I hope this could be the start of a new chapter and a new approach to work and life.

As I shift more in to coaching and mentoring I continue to see the benefits that are brought to others. Having a coach, holding the space for you whilst you think through a challenge. Be it professional, or personal, having a thinking partner provides immense benefits. I would love to share more, and even have a coaching conversation if anybody out there thinks they would get value from this.

Is the travel itch scratched?

If you are wondering whether travel features in our new life chapter. Yes. And I would be off again today if I had the money. In fact, if I had the money i would be on the road more than I would be at a “home base”. The experience of travel, the “grabbing life by the balls”, the making the most of every minute becomes ever more important. You never know what life is going to throw at you. When you least expect it. As a family, we have all experienced this over the last year.

Lake Monger, Perth WA
On our weekend walk, around Lake Monger, the “big smoke” in the distance

Seize the day

If you have a bucket list, what is stopping you from doing the things on that list? Tomorrow might never come. Take steps today to get you closer to the things in life that you dream of. We have a short time here, and we never know when the bell is going to ring for us, telling us to come back in, our time is up. Tell those around you that you love them. Tell them every day. You don’t know when your opportunities to do this will end.

With this, I love you. I love you for reading this blog. I love you for sharing our amazing journey over the last year. And I hope you will continue to follow on as we transition back into life in Australia. 

Memento mori.

Winter in Perth

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Where does the time go?

And just like that, we have winter in Perth. I am going to say it. Where has the time gone? 3 months. Just like that. 3 months was how long I spent when I travelled solo to South America at the end of 2010. And I felt (still feel) like I was there for quite a long time. I saw so much. Met so many amazing travellers. Traversed the whole of South America, from the “end of the world”, at Ushuaia, in Patagonia, to Cartagena on the Caribbean coast, in Colombia. And so much in between.

Winter time in Perth, already. Where does the time go in Perth

So why don’t I feel that I have been in Perth half as long? Sure, the obvious answer is coronavirus. The world it has thrown us all into. Only recently being able to pop to the pub for a pint. To start exploring the excellent restaurant scene here. And to get our first trip booked back to the magnificent Margaret River wine region.

Where did those episodes go?

But that aside, the simple fact is that I am still adjusting. This is normal, right? Moving 4,000kms. To a new city. In the middle of a global pandemic gives me some latitude I’m sure. It feels a little like listening to your favourite LP, on an actual record player. For those of us that remember them. And the record must be scratched because the needle has just jumped from a very familiar part of the tune. Jumped quite a lot. So now, you are not sure where you are. Nothing seems familiar. There is a big chunk missing. 

If you were streaming your favourite show on Netflix (an analogy you younger readers can appreciate), and missed a couple of episodes, you would be wondering who all these new people were. What happened to the storyline? How did we get here?

And this is how it feels. For me anyway. All that I was familiar with has gone. I no longer know what the plot is? How this part of the story is supposed to go.

Rome wasn’t built in a day

What I do know is that these things take time. Big life events. In the way that Rome wasn’t built in a day, changes of this magnitude take some getting used to. It’s not as though you go to sleep in one city, wake up in another, and everything carries on just as before. Over the last 8 years I built up a lot of social capital whilst living in Sydney. Overnight, that balance was reduced to zero. I had to start rebuilding.

And rebuilding isn’t always easy. It took time in Sydney to find that favourite coffee shop. The Thai restaurant that you went to every single week because the food was THAT good. Finding a “Bistecca alla Fiorentina” to rival the one you had in Florence wasn’t easy. But you did it. 

Bistecca alla Fiorentina, in Florence
The original, in Florence, Italy

Have I ever mentioned coffee to you?

Talking of Italy, have I ever mentioned to you that I enjoy good coffee? Having tried dozens, literally, of coffee shops in Perth, I have found myself almost universally disappointed. How hard can it be to make a good strong coffee? My beverage of choice is a small double shot latte? My order was simply “strong latte, please”, and I invariably got what I wanted. Simple order. Simple to make. In the days when I owned an Italian espresso machine at home I could knock these bad boys out for fun.

A strong latte, in Sydney, hard to find in winter in Perth
The original, Sydney

Judging by some of the concoctions I have been served to date, fun is the last thing I am having. Thank the lord for “Engine Room Espresso” in North Perth, and Mike of “Cravings”, here in East Perth. Two beacons of hope in a coffee wasteland. In Perth, barista seems to be a very loose term. Usually meaning those that are closest to the coffee machine, rather than the skilled occupation that it is.

Coffee aside, life is taking on a regular cadence now. Up early for a brisk morning walk around the water, dolphin spotting, before returning so Vik can start work, at home. We have a mid morning walk, to run the coffee gauntlet, and at lunch we take an extended walk along the Swan River. As mentioned previously, our step count is off the scale at the moment. Which soothes my guilty mind as we munch on our evening Tim Tam, or my freshly baked scones.

Winter in Perth, no better time for baking scones

Hunting down the best food in Perth

The last few weekends have seen us back on the foodie scene. A welcome return. A fabulous meal at Balthazar the other week was followed up with an equally excellent dinner at Andaluz in the city last week. With it being winter in Perth, and with the colder days drawing in, we have dropped below the 20s now, we had our first Sunday roast this weekend. 

The Rose and Crown, in the heritage village of Guildford, is reputed to be Australia’s second oldest pub. Advertising the “best Sunday roast in WA”, we got ourselves along and tried it for ourselves. Oh my. Are we glad we did. With a choice of pork and crackle, or beef, the rest of the plate was made up of a very large Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, swede, and gravy.

Winter in Perth is the best time to hunt down the best roast in WA
Lunch is served

It was delicious. One of the best we have had for a very long time. My ex-pat friends here in Australia will tell you that it is not easy to come by Yorkshire puddings. The meal was complemented by a smooth, full bodied bottle of Syrah from the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. A delicious drop. 

Start of a new week

Today is Monday, and as is our wont, we will be abstaining from alcohol through the week, making the weekend even more pleasurable. I have finished my WSET Level 1 wine course, which removes any excuse I had for “course related tastings” through the week. We shall revert to copious amounts of Yorkshire Tea in the evenings, as we work our way through the new season of Billions, with the odd episode of Masterchef thrown in for gastronomic inspiration. 

So, the 3 month mark in Perth brings us to the mid way point of 2020. A year that is turning out to be very different to the one we, and everyone else in the world, expected. We have the winter solstice this weekend, marking the day with the least amount of daylight hours. Meaning we will leave winter in Perth behind and begin the downward slope towards summer, and hopefully sunnier days, not just literally, but metaphorically. 

As I write, Australia’s borders are still closed, and our state border here in WA is also closed to any Australian from our other states. In effect, we are currently our own nation, here in Western Australia. It is hoped, by both the Prime Minister, and both of us, that Mark McGowan re-opens our borders within the next couple of months, by which time the Australian borders may also be opened up. This will pave the way for us to start replanning our Grand Tour, and finally getting on the road.

It will be time to find those missing episodes, and discover the life that we have skipped over.

Road trip continues to Esperance, on the South Coast, WA

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The last time we spoke, a couple of weeks ago, it was to run you through our Melbourne trip. Where might you wonder is the rest of the Xmas Western Australia road trip? Well, rewinding back to December, and Xmas, part of it is here.

Now that we don’t have to talk about malfunctioning Fitbits, and quibble about how many ghost steps the aforementioned Fitbit was creating, we can focus once again on the beautiful part of the world that is WA. For the record, my Fitbit was accurate. Just saying.

Rising early, with the morning sun, and battling very persistent flies, that seem determined to either fly directly into your mouth, eyes, or ears, we took the short bush walk to Wave Rock. We could hardly drive 4 hours, through the middle of nowhere, no disrespect to the many small “towns” we passed on the way through, and not get at least one picture of Wave Rock.

The long, dusty road to Esperance

Picture taken, we left the hustle and bustle of Hyden, and it’s 400 hundred population (it may have increased by a couple by now), and hit the dry, dusty, open road once more. Hyden is about half way to Esperance, our next destination, and the second 4 hours of the journey mirrored the first. If I only glanced very quickly at the names of the towns, they could have even all been the same, save for a couple of different consonants.

Last nights roadkill, freshly oozing scarlet blood on the side of the highway. Signs reminding you of the Fire Danger level. Nothing much else to break up the monotony. Thank god for music playlists, and my excellent signing voice, to while away some of the time. Munglinup Roadhouse told me it was now only 1 hour to Esperance.

Enjoying one of the many beautiful beaches of the south coast

Whilst Esperance undoubtedly has some amazing beaches, the town leaves a little to be desired. Not one of the picture postcard places we were yet to experience. The town had the look and feel of somewhere that had fallen on hard times. A little shabby around the edges. We also nicknamed it the “town of myths”. Why? Well, the pictures below give you an idea. Researching our stay in Esperance we had a list that included, “visit the Pink Lake”, and also, “see kangaroos on the beach at Lucky Bay”. Maybe we just weren’t lucky. These are the “tourist brochure vs reality” images. Guess which is which…

Pink Lake takes it’s name from the beta carotene, as found in carrots. The carrots must not have been working on the days we visited. Still, the lake is on the Great Ocean Drive, leading to 10 Mile Lagoon, and Twilight Beach. Oh my!

Each of the beaches we visited took my breath away. The amount of times the only word I had was “wow”. Just wow. Nothing else. I immediately knew I had found the best beaches in Australia. In my opinion. I don’t anybody trolling me on the virtues of the respective beaches in the many beautiful parts of Australia. We can all have our own opinion people, and this is mine.

Paradise?

On another scorcher of a day, who could resist?

A great aspect of road tripping is the serendipitous nature of it. The things you come across, that you weren’t looking for. Such as the Lucky Bay brewery. Spotting the roadside sign, we followed the road and found a tiny little micro brewery, brewing, and serving up some great ales. The amount of microbreweries in Australia, as I imagine in other parts of the world, have exploded in recent years. And beer drinking is much the better for it.

With hindsight, it was a master stroke buying a very large tinnie of ice cold Sandy Hook pale ale, poured, and canned right in front of me as I waited. You see, we were very happy to make use of the BBQ at the Pink Lake Tourist Park, but less happy with our choice of burgers from Woollies. Once cooked, it looked like, and had the consistency of a breeze block. Note to self, don’t buy the cheapest burgers in the whole supermarket tomorrow night.

Our last full day in Esperance saw us having a drive out to Cape Le Grande National Park. Incongruously this had us driving past “Stonehenge”. A full size replica, in a field, in the middle of nowhere. One of those moments when all you can do is scratch your head, take a photo, and move on.

One of the many “wow” moments in Esperance

After being woken by our neighbours on the camp site at 5am, they no doubt had a very long drive ahead of them, we were on the road ourselves by 7.30am, after coffee, breakfast, and ablutions.

Starting the day with my priorities right

Saturday December 23rd, and we had a 4 and half hour drive to our next stop, Albany. Cue, more long, dusty, roadkill filled roads. And dodgy singing.

See you in a few hours…

Mary in Mosman (dedicated to my amazing mum)

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As regular readers of my blog will know, I have a long, and lasting, relationship with Australia.  Having done my rite of passage backpacking trip in ’94, I seemed to spend a month here every second year.  Not always with the same person, but I like to think I was doing my bit for tourism, and the local economy.
I’m now on first name terms with the local Hunter Valley wine testing tour guide.  And if I go on one more Captain Cruise tour of the Harbour I think I will be offered shares.
Mothers’ Day cruise
I digress. 
All the trips here, the developing love affair, all led to me becoming a permanent resident of this glorious country, and hence the inception of this blog, documenting my travels and travails along the way.
In this time, if I had a dollar for each occasion mum said “I will come out one day and see Australia”, I would have more money already than my sister seems to be managing to save in her tin for a trip here.
So, on a long scooter ride last year, wind buffeting me and the Besbi, with time to think and with thoughts racing through my head, I made a decision.  I went home that night, and booked a return flight home.  And a flight back with me for mum.  This was the only way it was going to happen.  I had to take charge.  If you were reading this blog last year, you would be forgiven for thinking I may not have even still been here right now.  In Australia I mean.  Not anything more sinister.
I decided that mum was coming to Australia.  Before life took over.  She was coming.  All I had to do now was break the news to her.  That was an emotional Skype call, but in a good way.  Once mum had run off outside for some fresh air, and returned to my little glowing computer screen, it had become a reality.
Not having flown further than Europe before, I did wonder if I had bitten off more than I could chew.  This could prove to be an ordeal.  Twenty four hours, with a couple of stops in Munich and Singapore along the way, cooped up in a glorified tin can.
But it has to be said, it was “too easy, no dramas”.   I think all the food served on the plane took mum’s mind of the actual flying.  At one point I thought I’d fallen asleep and woken up in the middle of an episode of Man (or mum) versus Food!
Surely, she didn’t have room for a Magnum ice cream after ALL th……..oh wait……
Mary versus food
In no time at all we had touched down on Australian soil, were in a cab, zooming across the city, and Mary was in Mosman.
What followed was a fantastic 3 weeks of showing mum around the back yard.  Where I have chosen to currently call home.  Show her what keeps me here. 
One thing I had resolved to do was get mum being a bit more adventurous when eating out.  Go to any pub / café / restaurant with mum, hand her the world’s largest menu, and I can predict with eerie accuracy what she will order.  “Scampi and chips please son.”
Well, we were having none of that on this holiday.  Although she did try. 
I’m not sure she was too impressed when on one of her first days here, I took her for seafood.  With NO scampi.  Her face was a picture when I offered her some octopus tentacles.  And prawns that required the heads pulling off, and peeling were not what she was used to from Wetherspoon’s.
Another first was a wine tasting trip.  Being Sydney’s most loyal customer, Sam the owner provided my trip at half price, with a promise that my next visit would be complimentary.  I am already checking the calendar for when I will be taking him up on this offer. 
I had purposefully chosen this particular trip, as on the way to the Hunter, we have morning coffee at a wildlife centre.  Giving you the opportunity to get up and close with all your Australian favourites, although I think this little fella is everyone’s fave!

I think the wine was less of a hit with mum, but I benefited from this, having double tastings.  Now this was MY kind of trip J
Can’t see any shrimps on that barbie!
Other highlights included the Mother’s Day lunch trip around the Harbour, a trip to Summer Bay (aka Palm Beach), an amazing high tea at Boronia House, a visit to Bondi beach (everybody has to on their first trip, despite what the locals say), and the numerous BBQs we had. 
A particular highlight for me was mum frequenting the many stores in Mosman.  Could I keep her out of the haberdashery?  How much knitting can one granny do?  And who would call a homeware store “Bird bath and Table”?  Nobody but mum it seems…

Mum, we had a great time.  You were a fantastic house guest.  I miss you every day.  And I look forward to seeing you again on these shores next year.

Signing off 2017

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Most of you will know that I like to make lists.  And that I like to set myself goals for what I consider to be personal growth.  Personal growth will mean many things, to many people.  To me it simply means, did I learn something new, go somewhere different, or do something that I haven’t done before.  If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then, I have achieved some personal growth.  Even if the item is just to go to a restaurant I have always wanted to try, I like the sense of personal achievement when I get there.
No, I know that I don’t need an actual list to achieve this.  But for me, having a list allows me to keep focussed on what it was that I said to myself that I wanted to achieve at the start of each year.  It is my way of keeping myself accountable to, well, myself.  And, I just like the satisfaction I get from crossing it off my list.
Some of the items are recurring, and have been for many years.  The one item that is not actually on the list, but never leaves me, is the one where I tell myself this is the last year that I work in a corporate environment.  Over the years I have become the “accidental project manager”.  Without consciously choosing a career path, I have fallen into what I do now.  I think I do it well, but that doesn’t mean it fills my soul with joy.  Which has left the frustrated writer and traveller deep within me having to comply with the norms of working for large corporations.  How, and when I will ever escape isn’t known to me.  Yet.  Until that time, I will continue setting myself goals to make sure I am filling the rest of my life, and my soul, with things that make me happy.
Here is what I wrote at the start of 2017:
  • Do a yoga class – result:  I didn’t get to do yoga, but did start doing reformer pilates, something I hadn’t even heard of at the start of the year.  Reformer pilates classes last for 1 hour, and isolate parts of your body in slow, controlled exercises.  Who knew it could be so effective?  So much so that I have already pre-purchased classes for the month of January.
  • See lots of Italy – result:  I did see lots of Italy.  I wrote this knowing we would be going on holiday to Italy, and we took 3 weeks to travel the length and breadth of that beautiful country.  Along the way I brushed up on my rudimentary Italian, and tried quite a few Aperol Spritzs.  Whilst in Rome we were lucky enough to be able to eat at Aroma restaurant, which overlooks the Colosseum.  We had the perfect table, champagne (I am still scratching my head over the price), and fabulous food.
  • Do a surf lesson – result:  I didn’t get around to this so it will be carried over to 2018.  What we did do was more stand up paddle boarding.  Even if most of mine was kneel down paddle boarding.  On a beautiful stretch of the coastline, in Rockingham, Western Australia, we hired a couple of boards and had a great hour paddling around.
  • Drive from Perth to Broome – result:  Due to realising that driving north would result in us slowly cooking like xmas turkeys in the campervan, we changed our route and went south from Perth, which was a lot cooler in the evenings.  Along the way we discovered what I would confidently say are the best beaches in Australia.  I also found the best fish and chips in Australia, but that will be part of another blog.
  • Visit Margaret River in Western Australia – result:  We did. This was included simply on the basis that we love tasting wine and visiting new wine regions.  Margaret River has a great reputation for it’s wine.  I can confirm that the wines are excellent.  And I tasted (drank) a lot so feel confident in my assertion.  Whilst in that part of the world we even got to another new wine region, the Swan Valley, just 30 minutes north of Perth.  I won’t tell you how much wine we bought as a result of all our wine tasting, but needless to say we have had to sell all our furniture to fit it in the apartment.
  • Learn basic Italian – result:  I did, for the holiday.  And through the 3 weeks there, managed to pick up even more.
  • One thing that wasn’t on my list, as I didn’t plan it myself, was a hot air balloon ride.  Something I have wanted to do for many years, since watching my Dad go off in one for his 60th birthday.  A recent Saturday morning saw us meeting up with Balloon Aloft in Mudgee, at 3.45am, for a sun rise flight, followed by a champagne breakfast.  All I can say is a big thank you, you know who you are.
I signed off the year another year older, and happy in the knowledge that I had managed to achieve most of what I set out to achieve, apart from the job.  That remains a work in progress.
Now onto the list for 2018.  What would be on yours?

Things to Do in Mollymook in Summer

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A weekend down the coast 

Things to do in Mollymook in Summer include spending the day on Mollymook beach
Beautiful Mollymook beach

Having an extended weekend, thanks to Australia Day, we were heading down the coast.  We were off to find out the answer to the question, what to do in Mollymook in Summer. Driving down the Princes Highway, and towards the historic NSW town of Milton, the devastation caused by the recent bushfires is evident everywhere.

From the illegible road signs, melted by the ferocious heat of the fires, to the forest of blackened trees, a lot of which have had to be chopped down due to the danger of them falling across the busy highway. It is hard to imagine the fear that homeowners in the area must have felt as the fire raged closer and closer to their properties.

I am glad to report that as of the time of writing, the bushfire danger has eased, and locals are returning to their properties, to assess the damage. Harder to assess is the unseen damage to the numbers of local wildlife that call this area home. 

Holiday Here This Year

Now, more than ever, our regional communities need support. Many local businesses rely on tourists visiting the area, and the drop off in numbers recently has been nothing short of a catastrophe. A movement has started up under the hashtag #holidayherethisyear.  This is exactly what we were doing over the long Australia Day weekend, taking an extra day so we had 3 nights to spend in the Shoalhaven region.

Things to do in Mollymook in summer include a weekend at Bannisters Pavilion hotel in Mollymook
Bannisters Pavilion, with swimming pool above

Some 3 and a half hours from Sydney, the little town of Mollymook hugs the southern NSW coast. It is the place that Rick Stein says makes him “feel 10 years younger” each time he arrives. And it is here in Mollymook that he chose to open his first Australian restaurant. More on that later.

Where to stay in Mollymook

We were to spend our 3 nights at the Bannisters Pavilion hotel (bannisters.com.au/mollymook ), one of two Bannisters hotels, within 800 yards of each other. Quite why there is two, so close to each other, and no other hotels is rather curious. They certainly have the market covered. And with no pubs in Mollymook, at least what we could find, the only drinking options seem to be in the bars of the respective hotels. Somewhere, I can hear the sound of tills ringing.

Bannisters Pavilion, spread over two levels, is very light and airy. Rooms open up to small balconies, with the the rooms at the back getting the better deal, facing all the eucalyptus trees, and none of the traffic. For an expensive hotel, I was very disappointed to find the only option for coffee in the room was those little sachets of instant, that you see in very dated motels, and Travelodges. In a coffee obsessed nation I found this a little short sighted. Definite points dropped there.

In the morning we made our way up to the pool area which is where the breakfast was served. The included breakfast was a wide selection, continental buffet style. As this was turning into something of a foodie weekend, it was a pleasant change to eat a little lighter, and a little healthier at breakfast. Plates of fresh fruit, delicious homemade granola, and yoghurt made for a good start to the day. Oh, and I finally got a real coffee, the usual strong latte to kick start my engine.

The food theme continued at dinner, at the hotel’s “Rooftop Bar and Grill.” I was told that the prawn linguine was up there with the best ever. Perhaps THE best ever. By this point much wine had been drunk so I made a note to ask again in the morning. My chicken schnitzel was the size of a small boat, which in case you’re in any doubt, is a good thing in my book.

Returning again for dinner, on our final night, Victoria stuck to the script, and ordered the prawn linguine once more. I went for the burger. Again, top marks. Pink patty. Melted cheese. Messy to eat. Ticks all my boxes.

The hotel was very popular with families. The sheer number of small people I saw filled me with dread. However, as the pool area was quite small, I think most decided the beach was the best option. That left us in relative serenity to chill in the pool, and lounge the afternoon away with a cold drink, and our books. 

The relaxing pool area at Bannisters Pavilion hotel in Mollymook

Things To Do in Mollymook in Summer – Dining

Rick Stein first visited this beautiful area on a trip in the 1960s, and with his wife Sarah having connections to the area, they opened up the first Rick Stein Australian restaurant in Mollymook in 2009. Visiting for dinner on a busy Saturday night we got to experience why this restaurant remains so popular. Being so close to the ocean, the menu is very heavily weighted towards the excellent produce freshly caught in the waters nearby. But the menu does also have a steak option should you decide that you can only each so much seafood in one weekend.

Our entrees were Hervey Bay scallops in the shell, and a dish of sashimi, which included tuna, salmon, and swordfish. Main course saw me having a fragrant, flavourful, and quite spicy salmon Sri Lankan curry, with pilau rice and a small naan bread. Victoria had a delicious fish pie. If only we were staying an extra day then I could have come back and tried the perennial favourite, fish and chips, which are served with mushy peas. As it should be.

Things to do in Mollymook include lunch at the excellent Cupitt's vineyard
Restaurant at Cupitt’s

Australia Day, which fell on the Sunday, saw us heading out to Cupitt’s (cupitt.com.au) winery. And what a good decision that was. Of the many things to do in Mollymook, this is another of my recommendations. Set in a beautiful location, with sweeping views across the hills of Milton, we had a lunch reservation in the restaurant. On site there is also a cellar door, a brewery (making excellent pale ale), a fromagerie, and large picnic areas.

Lunch was an “Australia Day special”, costing $85 each for 3 courses, with $5 of every meal going to a local charity. Providing the entertainment out in the picnic areas was a local band, Soul Tonic. The entertainment was part of a ticketed event, with all proceeds going to the same charity. A definite feel good afternoon. The food in the restaurant was excellent, and was complemented by a bottle of Cupitt’s own Pinot Gris. Suitably stuffed, and with an elegant sufficiency, we made the short drive back to Bannisters Pavilion.

Things to Do in Mollymook in Summer – Spa Day

Spa day at Bannisters by the Sea in Mollymook
And chill…

In a list of relaxing things to do to start your day, surely a spa morning would be right up there. An hour of pure relaxation, being gently pummeled, making you forget all your worries, and that you have only managed to have one coffee so far.

The spa is located at the sister hotel, Bannisters by the Sea. A short stroll from the Pavilion, the spa was just the ticket for my tired, and tense muscles. It is easy to forget how working at a laptop all day can affect both your posture, and the muscles around your shoulders. The next hour was spent having this tension slowly teased out of my body. The facial, and hot oil head massage was a great way to finish. 

Things To Do in Mollymook in Summer – The Local Area

Just 5kms back up the Princes Highway, the historic town of Milton is well worth a visit. Park up, and spend the afternoon browsing the boutiques, local craft shops, and the very good food and drink options. Be strong, drive straight past the Heritage Bakery without stopping, and save your appetite for something a little more adventurous than a meat pie. Even if said pies are delicious.

We had lunch at Annabels cafe which had much more of a country town feel than some of the more, hipper looking cafes. There is a reason this area of the South Coast is saturated with visitors from Sydney, and the number of establishments that cater to this market is high. Annabels was a little more down to earth, serving “proper grub” and a delicious mango smoothie.

Holiday on your doorstep

What the weekend highlighted, without any doubt, is that we don’t always have to get on a plane to take a holiday. Putting aside the concerns for the environment, just don’t tell Greta Thunberg I said that, and the associated carbon footprint of flying, there are a multitude of other reasons to holiday at home. Local businesses need as much tourism as possible if they are going to recover from the devastation of the bush fires. And the beautiful places, quiet beaches, and world class food available to us here in the lucky country made a holiday at home a no brainer.

The only question remaining is, where next?