So I've just come back from a brief adventure to the coast. After struggling with the cold weather in my city it was good to go north for a bit and get some much needed sunshine.
It was also good to spend some quality time with my family and catching up with some dear friends. It's always difficult to catch up with everyone in a given space of time.
This time, however, I managed to catch up with an artist friend whom I have known since high school, who showed me her charismatic new studio space. We also spent a lot of time talking about life, the universe and everything while relaxing in a local cafe with good food and hot chocolate while celebrity spotting.
I was also very excited to meet up with a friend whom I have known for an eternity. It's been 21 years since last we met. Amazing how much has changed and happened in those years and yet we still have so much in common.
A friend whom I met when I first moved to my current city came to visit for a few days. It was great to have her stay with my family and give her a very brief tour of the coast.
Although on a limited time frame, it was fantastic to be able to share some time with these three incredible women who continue to amaze and inspire me daily, despite time and distance and I'm constantly grateful to have them in my life.
While I was on the coast, my Mum, Dad and I had several adventures. One day we decided to make use of the sunshine. We drove to a nearby town and decided to go to the lookout. The view from this particular lookout is always very pretty, however this time it had the added bonus of whales. Whales were swimming past a few hundred meters from the coastline, in groups, heading further north for the breeding season. From where we stood we could see so many of these magical creatures spraying fountains of water along the horizon. Such a beautiful sight to behold.
We also sat by the ocean later in the day watching the local council feed the pelicans. It's a daily ritual. The pelicans fly in from seemingly nowhere, and land on the paved stairs that lead to the waters edge, patiently waiting to be rewarded with fish. Locals and tourists alike gather to watch this event as they get up close and personal with the flock. Despite not being much of a bird lover, even I took a front row seat in order to be a part of the action.
Mum and I also took some time out to explore some of the local producers. We went to a lavender farm, macadamia farm, and to a newly opened cheese factory. The cheese factory was a highlight as we went there twice because the people were so friendly and the cheese was divine. We also took a drive to a beach side market where I bought treats for my puppy and played djembe in an open drumming circle.
There was also plenty of time to be creative. I baked and decorated several cakes which kept me occupied for some time. I had the opportunity to paint and play with my nephews.
There was plenty of time to enjoy the solace of the bushland surroundings, sitting in the sun whilst napping and reading my novel, listening to the sounds of the kookaburras and the neighbours cows and enjoying the company of my puppy. Overall a great fortnight of adventure.